Worms in children: symptoms, treatment, prevention

Infection with helminthic infestations is a very common problem in all countries of the world. Almost every third inhabitant of the planet is a carrier of worms, and worms are more common in children. If we take into account the statistics of one country alone, more than two million cases of worms have been registered. But in reality, these numbers are higher, because people often do not ask for help from doctors and try to get rid of worms themselves.

And some patients simply do not know about their condition, because the disease is almost asymptomatic. If we draw a parallel between the annual sales of anthelmintic drugs among the population, then there are about 22 million patients, almost 80% of whom are minors.

To date, medicine is known for more than three hundred species of worms. Worms that affect the body do not always give a clear picture of the nature of the disease, depending on the type of parasite and the number of larvae that penetrate. To suspect a helminth infection, it is necessary to know the symptoms of worms and their manifestations, which may indicate the entry of parasites into the child's body.

Types of worms

All known worms are usually divided into three main groups:

• Nematodes (round worms). . . The most commonly diagnosed class of parasites in children. The group is represented by the following types:
  • round worms,
  • pinworms,
  • trichinella,
  • whip worms.
• Cestodes (flat tape parasites)are represented by species such as:
  • wide ribbon
  • echinococcus (pork tapeworm),
  • dwarf (rat) tapeworm,
  • large horned worm (tape).
• Trematodes (absorbing parasites), the main representatives of this class:
  • swelling of the liver,
  • Siberian (cat) trap.

According to another classification, worms are divided into intestinal and extraintestinal parasites. The first group parasitizes only in the intestinal cavity, the second prefers other organs of the human body, such as the liver, heart, lungs, muscles, brain. Extra-intestinal worms have the ability to penetrate the bloodstream, bite the walls of the intestines and blood vessels, and reach their favorite habitat through the bloodstream.

Factors that cause nematode infection in children

• Lack of regular washing of hands after using the toilet, after a walk, before eating. Even cookies and sweets should not be given to a child without first asking them to wash their hands.
• Rare change of underwear. Especially in the summer months, it is necessary to ensure that the child changes clean linen at least twice a day. It is important to teach him to go to the toilet in the morning after going to bed and before going to bed in the evening.
• The habit of taking everything in your mouth, sucking your fingers, licking toys, pens and felt-tip pens.
• Having pets in the house for a walk on the street. Even if the dog is tied up and taken out, worm eggs can still cling to its feathers, even if it is strictly controlled so that it does not take anything into its mouth.
• Weakly washed vegetables and fruits before serving.
• Low living standards, lack of cleanliness in the house, the presence of flies, bed bugs and cockroaches.

Causes and mechanism of infection of children with worms

Among all the types of worms that can live in the human body, nematodes predominate. In children with well-defined symptoms, the worms are pinworms and roundworms, and whipworms are less commonly diagnosed. The incidence of other types of infections does not exceed 3%. This is because rifles and tapeworms are more common in tropical climates, and the invasion occurs mainly during travel to countries in the tropics or subtropics.

In addition, because tapeworms can withstand fairly high temperatures, they are mainly infected by those who prefer uncooked or raw meat and fish dishes. And, of course, it is easy to catch worms if you do not follow sanitary norms and rules of personal hygiene.

The mechanism of infection with roundworms and pinworms is very simple, but more common. Regular hand washing, careless handling of raw vegetables, greens and berries. As well as direct contact with a carrier of stray animals or worms.

Pinworm species also increased reinvasion. This means that recurrent infections often occur in the following ways:

• pinworms cause severe itching of the anus,
• child, combing itchy skin,
• when pinworm eggs fall on the patient's fingers and underwear,
• then, touching the door handles, taps, and other surfaces, the patient lays pinworm eggs on them,
• the egg freely enters the body of people living with the carrier and again into the patient himself.

The most dangerous places for infection with roundworms and pinworms:

• kindergartens,
• playgrounds,
• entertainment centers for children.

In the first years of life, almost every child tries to taste almost everything, there is no escape. This is a natural process of understanding the world around us. And by touching surfaces in crowded places, the baby will put his hands in his mouth, which will cause worms to enter the body.

In addition, the immature immune system of children and the weak protective barriers of the immature digestive system contribute to the infection. The only way to reduce the risk of infection is to force your baby to wash his hands regularly, as this can only become a habit for a child under the age of four, and not for everyone at that time.

Increased morbidity in children is facilitated by blurred symptoms and complex diagnostic methods. The clinical picture of the disease may be vague, short-lived, or non-existent. Some parents who feel a little uneasy about a child will suspect worms and seek medical attention immediately. Many will decide that they are knowledgeable enough to independently diagnose and prescribe treatment, which ultimately leads to the spread of parasites and the infection of others.

Even the analysis of feces for worm eggs and crumbs for enterobiosis does not always give a realistic picture of the disease. Helminth eggs can be unevenly placed in the feces, and in order to catch them, it is necessary to follow the rules of taking material for analysis, which not everyone knows. Scratching can also have a negative effect, as females do not lay eggs every day, and scraping should be done at least three times regularly to get a reliable picture.

Common symptoms and signs of all helminths

The penetration of helminthic invasions into the body is not always accompanied by external symptoms. And in most cases, up to a certain point, the human body does not feel the presence of parasites at all. Some types of worms can live inside a person for years without any negative impact on human well-being and only activating life activities under favorable conditions. It can be:

• weakening of the body with other diseases,
• Decreased activity of the immune system due to the negative effects of the environment,
• poor nutrition.

Some time ago, there was a scientific theory about the effect of worms on many internal diseases. Which did not find the necessary support, but there was no denial.

Today, however, it is well established that every human being is a carrier of a certain amount of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and helminths. Parasites are not always kind to their owners. Their constant release into the air of toxic products that are toxic to humans gradually leads to the deterioration of the situation and the emergence of various diseases.

Signs to suspect the active activity of worms are:

• Significant weight loss or increased appetite with anorexia and persistent nausea.
• Nausea attacks ending in recurrent abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea, persistent or intermittent vomiting, headache, and dizziness.
• Hypersensitivity of the body to various substances and products.
• Deterioration of teeth and nails, increased hair loss due to iron deficiency anemia and chronic vitamin B deficiency₁₂. . .
• Low resistance to respiratory diseases (adenoids in children) and inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system.
• Increased nervousness and tears, insomnia and restless sleep, nightmares and unexplained outbursts of anger, distraction and constant anxiety - all indicate that large amounts of toxins produced by worms enter the bloodstream.
• In a clinical blood test, persistent anemia (low hemoglobin) and high eosinophil counts should alert parents and force the child to check for worms. One of the most dangerous side effects of the disease is developmental delay.
• Increased allergic reaction to prophylactic vaccines.

Specific symptoms of pinworms

Small but very fast-growing and resistant worms - pinworms, cause the development of enterobiosis in children. It is an unpleasant disease, the main symptom of which is a severe, unbearable itching in the anus, which intensifies at night.

When a child becomes ill, pinworm eggs quickly spread to surrounding objects, toys, clothes, utensils, and anything the baby touches. Pinworms feel great outside the human body and can withstand the effects of many disinfectants. Pinworm eggs are guaranteed to be destroyed only by boiling and irradiating them with ultraviolet light.

Infection with enterobiasis occurs only through the mouth, when the child takes dirty hands into his mouth or licks the infected surfaces. Through the esophagus, pinworms quickly penetrate the intestines and settle there, becoming mature sexually mature individuals within two weeks.

Severe itching, which is characteristic of enterobiasis, occurs due to irritation caused by pinworm eggs. Its strengthening at night is explained by the fact that the anal sphincters relax a little during sleep and do not form an insurmountable obstacle for an adult female who lays eggs and only crawls to the surface. One species of pinworm can lay up to 5, 000 eggs on the skin of the anus.

Skin irritants pinworms force the skin to crawl, penetrating under the nails, the skin of the hands, clothes and bedding. In addition to severe itching, symptoms of pinworms in children include:

• Anxious, restless sleep, frequent insomnia, nightmares.
• Stop growing and gain weight or even lose weight.
• Increased fatigue, nervousness, extreme excitement.
• Decreased attention and poor assimilation of new things lead to learning delays.
• In girls, enuresis may develop with irritation of the urethra. This results in involuntary urination at night.
• In addition, pinworms can penetrate the internal genitals, colonize the vaginal cavity (vulvovaginitis), and even reach the uterus and fallopian tubes, bringing with them infection and causing inflammation.
• Accumulation of a large colony of pinworms in the intestinal cavity can lead to appendicitis.
• An unconfirmed symptom is night gnashing of teeth.
• The proliferation of pinworms contributes to the development of the following diseases:
  • intestinal dysbiosis,
  • enterocolitis,
  • pain of unknown etiology in the abdominal cavity,
  • diarrhea,
  • constipation.
• Due to constant intoxication, the intestinal wall stops the normal intake of nutrients, vitamins and other substances, which in turn affects the functioning of the immune system. For this reason, children with pinworm worms often become seriously ill.

Specific symptoms of ascariasis (ascariasis)

According to recent statistics, the picture of worm infestation is very disturbing. The results show that more than 80% of preschool children have been infected with various types of worms at least once.

Unfortunately, many parents do not take worms as a serious disease and take it very lightly. However, inhabited parasites not only deprive the body of essential nutrients, but also can infect many internal organs.

Representatives of such parasites are roundworms that cause ascariasis, the symptoms of which are much more severe than pinworms. Although roundworms and pinworms belong to the same class of worms, roundworms can penetrate and cause serious damage not only to the intestines but also to other organs, for example:

• in the liver,
• in the pancreas,
• in the heart,
• in brain tissues,
• gallbladder,
• in the lungs.

Roundworms enter the body only from the soil, but the stimuli remain the same as in pinworms, they are:

• non-compliance with the rules of hygiene,
• careless processing of vegetables, berries and herbs,
• non-compliance with safety rules when working in the private sector,
• unsanitary living conditions.

After entering the body, roundworms adapt for a long time (3 months), grow into mobile larvae, bite the walls of the small intestine and blood vessels, and only then begin to migrate to the favorite organs of the human body.

This period is characterized by the following manifestations:

• increase in body temperature in the evening to 37. 5 ° C;
• often weakness and malfunction;
• dry cough, sometimes accompanied by weakly separated sputum with streaks of red blood;
• development of obstructive bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pneumonia or pleurisy is possible;
• swelling of the lymph nodes;
• enlargement of the pancreas and liver.

And the main symptom of the main ascaridosis is a skin rash like localized urticaria on the hands and feet.

The subsequent development of the disease, in which roundworms return to the intestines, is characterized by the following disorders:

• diarrhea or constipation
• cramping abdominal pain,
• often nausea, sometimes causing vomiting,
• flatulence,
• irritation of the anus,
• significant weight loss.

At this stage, against the background of general intoxication, stomatitis and purulent lesions of the skin and mucous membranes often occur. Long-term poisoning with Ascaris processed products, as a result, leads to disorders of the nervous system and mental disorders, including:

• insomnia,
• nightmares,
• epileptic seizures,
• hypotension.

As a complication of ascariasis, such serious and dangerous pathologies develop:

• intestinal obstruction,
• acute appendicitis,
• obstructive jaundice
• peritonitis.

Specific signs of damage by other types of worms

1. Vlasoglav (trichocephalus)- characterized by mild symptoms. Indications for infection include diarrhea mixed with blood streaks, prolonged constipation, frequent vomiting, frequent dehydration, and anemia. Children with such injuries usually lag significantly behind in growth and mental development.

2. Toxocariasis- In most cases, babies under the age of 4 are taken when they come in frequent contact with infected dogs or cats. Allergic reactions manifest themselves as itchy formations on the skin, fever and chills, allergic cough (suffocating), swollen face, lung masses, swollen lymph nodes and eye diseases.

3. The dwarf (rat) formed a ribbon- causes hymenolepiasis, which is characterized by a latent course without any symptoms. With the development of helminthic colonies, the child develops dyspeptic disorders, pain syndrome, increased salivation, and often headaches. And gradually all this turns into the following diseases:

   • hives,
   • vasomotor or allergic rhinitis,
   • bronchospasm.

4. Siberian (cat) trap- opisthorchiasis, characteristic symptoms: fever, swollen lymph nodes, skin rash, pain in the right hypochondrium and joints. Complications: dystrophic myocarditis, hepatitis, pneumonia, pancreatitis, severe gastritis.

5. Wide ribbon- Diphyllobotriasis, a disease caused by infection with tapeworms, whose eggs or larvae can survive in raw meat or undercooked meat. Intestinal disorders, pain syndrome and B₁₂- Deficient anemia.

Methods of removing worms in children

The pharmaceutical industry today provides pharmacies with various types of antihelminthic agents. These can be targeted or broad-spectrum drugs. Unfortunately, most of them have a long list of adverse effects on the body. Therefore, if worms are found in a child, only a parasitologist should prescribe treatment after a thorough examination and all necessary tests.

In addition, the treatment of most diseases caused by worms requires not only the treatment of worms in children with anthelmintic drugs, but also the appointment of a course of antihistamines, vitamin therapy and probiotics.

Antihistamines are needed to normalize the immune response. Vitamins and probiotics restore the loss of essential acids and normalize the intestinal microflora.

A drug containing hexahydropirazine is isolated from the least toxic drugs. Therefore, it is more often recommended when young children have questions about how to get rid of worms. The drug is produced not in tablets, but in the form of suspensions or syrups.

Many parents prefer traditional medicines. Indeed, pumpkin seeds and garlic enemas have anthelmintic effects and are often used, for example, in the treatment of ascariasis. However, their use does not guarantee a complete cure. Therefore, to rule out a relapse, it is better to take a drug prescribed by a doctor and correct the result with any folk anthelmintic drug, otherwise the question of how to remove the worms will always be repeated.

Preventive measures against worm infections

The inevitability of worms penetrating a child's body cannot be taken as an axiom. There are a number of rules for preventing worms that you can easily protect your baby from this infection by following them:

• Wash raw vegetables, berries, greens and fruits thoroughly under running water, then pour boiling water over them.
• Prolonged heat treatment of fish and meat dishes.
• Do not allow flies, cockroaches, bed bugs and mosquitoes to appear in the apartment or house.
• For prophylaxis, all pets should be given anthelmintic medications regularly.
• Wash the child's hands after each contact with animals.
• Allow the child to play and use only recycled toys and items.
• From the first steps, teach your child to wash their hands with soap and water after using the toilet, after returning from a walk, after outdoor games, and before each meal.
• Never put toys or other objects in your mouth or lick your fingers.
• Monitor the condition of the child's nails.
• At night, dress your baby in tight nightgowns to prevent the spread of pinworms.
• It is recommended not only to boil children's underwear, but also to iron it on both sides.
• Teach your baby to change underwear in the morning and evening. It is recommended that the child has a separate shelf in the closet to store only his belongings.