Helminthosis is a parasitic disease, especially in children.If worms appear in one of the organs or systems of the child's body, their negative impact will not only affect his activity, but also affect the work of the immune and nervous systems.Symptoms such as cough, loss of appetite, indigestion and allergic reaction may be accompanied by other unrelated symptoms.If you suspect a helminthic infestation, it is important to immediately contact a specialist and not self-medicate.
Why is helminthosis dangerous?
Most helminthiasis of the most common types in children are parasitic in the intestines.They live and feed there, eventually multiplying and releasing toxins.Also, parasitic worms have a mechanical effect on the intestinal walls.The result of the active activity of worms in a child's body can be:
- Vitamin deficiency and weight loss.These problems are caused by lack of nutrients and vitamins.As a result, children begin to lag behind in development.Pathological processes may begin in other organs.
- Intestinal inflammation, colitis, dysbiosis, bleeding.All these unpleasant and serious complications are caused by mechanical damage caused by worms in the child's body.
- Development of inflammatory processes in the appendix, liver, gall bladder.These are organs adjacent to the intestines where parasites can move.
- Intestinal obstruction.It can be partial or complete, and sometimes there is a risk of rupture of the intestinal wall.
- Intoxication of the body.When worms live inside a person and die, they release aggressive toxins.
- Allergy.Parasite waste is considered a strong allergen.
- Liver dysfunction.For this reason, the child must be on a diet for many years and additionally take enzymes.
- Psychosis.Helminths have a negative effect on the patient's nervous system.
Types of worms affecting the child's body
There are many types of parasites that can appear in a child's body.They differ in size, being both small and large, and also manifest in different ways and have different incubation periods ranging from 1 to 1.5 months.In order to prescribe effective drugs that will help treat helminths, you need to correctly identify their type.The most common types in children are:
- Ribbon.These types of worms include cestodes, dwarf tapeworm, tapeworm and exinococcus.
- Ringed.Among them are annelids.
- Is it round?Their representatives are trichinella, pinworms, whipworms, nematodes and roundworms.
- Spinyheads.They are represented by acanthocephalans.
- rightThese include flukes and flakes.
Causes and methods of infection
It is possible to get helminthiasis not only in an exotic country or by trying an unusual dish on the menu.Playing in the sandbox and with unwashed hands is the easiest way for worms to enter a child's body.Children tend to touch and learn everything without thinking about the cleanliness of the studied object.After that, they can safely lick their fingers without washing them first.Worms remain alive for a very long time (from weeks to months) on the surface of various objects.
In addition to dirty hands, the main sources of infection include:
- dirty toys and surfaces;
- fabric;
- shoes;
- railings at the entrance;
- door handles;
- raw water;
- dirty vegetables and fruits;
- earth, soil, sand;
- contact with a sick child;
- meat not cooked well enough;
- undercooked fish or other seafood.
Symptoms of parasites in children
Typically, in children under 1 year, any manifestations of the presence of parasites in the body are observed in isolated cases.The first symptoms that signal infection with helminths are already noted in children who go to kindergarten or other developmental institutions at an older age (about 2-3 years).
Helminthosis in children is very diverse, and each individual type has its own symptoms.However, there are a number of symptoms that are characteristic of any type of worm:
- irritability and moodiness for no reason;
- restless sleep;
- allergies;
- itching in the anus;
- increased saliva;
- digestive disorders accompanied by diarrhea, constipation, nausea and bloating;
- loss of appetite;
- weight loss with proper nutrition;
- pallor of the skin.
In adult children, these symptoms may be accompanied by:
- headache;
- upset stomach;
- dizziness;
- increased fatigue;
- poor concentration.
Enterobiosis (pinworms)
The disease in which parasites such as pinworms enter the child's body is called enterobiosis.This type of helminths is most common in preschool children - from 2 to 5 years.Compared to other types of parasites, they are distinguished by their small size, 5-13 mm, and minimal damage.
Their presence causes the following symptoms to appear:
- Violent itching in the anus.Its intensity can be so strong that the child will sleep badly, scratch the anus, cause irritation and inflammation.
- Urinary incontinence during sleep at night.It is observed in girls.This happens when pinworms from the anus enter the urethra.As a result, the baby begins to develop urethritis, vaginitis or cystitis.
Pinworms are easy to get rid of and are not as dangerous as other heartworms.In time, when the first symptoms appear, it is important to consult a doctor and undergo the necessary tests.If the child is diagnosed with pinworms, then the parents also require treatment.All clothes, towels and other rags should be washed and ironed, and the room should be thoroughly washed, as the eggs of these worms are found on all surfaces in the home of an infected person.
Ascariasis (roundworms)
The second most common worms in children are large roundworms, up to 40 cm in size, living in the small intestine - roundworms.In addition to the general symptoms of helminthosis, in the case of roundworms, the infected person develops an unreasonable cough in the absence of any inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract at the initial stage.Its appearance is due to the larvae of this type of parasites entering the lungs and upper respiratory tract, and again entering the stomach through coughing.
Other characteristic features include:
- headache and dizziness;
- allergies;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- high temperature;
- intestinal disorders.
At the same time, there is no itching on the buttocks due to roundworms.The place of residence can be not only the intestines, but also any other organ or system of the body.
Trichocephalosis (whiplash)
In children, these parasites are worms with a very thin body, up to 5 cm in length.A female whip can lay up to 2,000 eggs at a time.Typically, such helminths occur more often in adolescence and appear less often in young children.
A distinctive feature of trichocephalosis is the almost complete absence of signs of helminthic infestation.Possible symptoms include:
- disorders of the nervous system (irritation, headache);
- problems with the digestive system accompanied by diarrhea, nausea or vomiting;
- increase in body temperature.
Symptoms of other parasites
Other types of worms that can occur in children include:
- Hymenolepidosis or dwarf rat tapeworm.Specific symptoms are not characteristic of it.Its presence is recognized by nausea, loss of appetite, heartburn, alternating diarrhea and constipation, headache, abdominal pain, increased salivation, dizziness, fatigue, skin rashes, allergic rhinitis and bronchospasm.
- Opistorchiasis or Siberian cat's exhaustion.These worms in children cause low-grade fever, skin rashes, swollen lymph nodes, pain in the joints and right hypochondrium, pancreatitis, gastritis and other symptoms of gastrointestinal tract disorders, constant catarrhal syndrome, etc.
- Toxocarosis.It is transmitted through animals.The main symptoms are allergic cough with suffocation and skin rash characterized by severe itching.
- Wide band.The source of infection is undercooked or undercooked fish.Symptoms include abdominal pain, allergic reaction, B12 deficiency anemia and other common signs of intestinal distress.
How to check if your child has worms?
In most cases, it is difficult for parents to associate specific symptoms with helminthosis or to understand why a child suddenly develops vomiting or other symptoms without any reason.In case of the slightest doubt about the appearance of worms, you should contact specialists and undergo tests that can easily verify the hypothesis of helminthic infestation.It will not take much time and effort, but the cause of the baby's illness will be clearly understood and it will be possible to treat it in time.
Self-diagnosis
Self-diagnosis is a careful monitoring of changes in the child's behavior, development, habits, daily and normal state - both physical and emotional-psychological.
This includes:
- periodic examination of feces for the presence of worms;
- control the frequency of toilet visits;
- examination of the skin for rash, redness or irritation;
- checking the amount of food consumed.
Acceptance of tests
If worms are detected visually or only a helminthic infestation is suspected, a medical diagnosis is needed to confirm the diagnosis.To find the cause of your symptoms, you may need to undergo a number of tests, including:
- Stool analysis.There you can find eggs or parts of overgrown worms.The effectiveness of the method is maximum when there are already sexually mature individuals in the intestines, that is, from about 3 weeks to a month after infection.Fecal material should be collected in the morning and sent to the laboratory.
- Rubbing or scratching from the anal area.To do this, use a dry cotton swab soaked in glycerin or adhesive tape.The analysis allows us to identify the worm larvae accumulated in the skin areas in the anus area.
- General blood test.In patients with helminthiasis, there may be an increase in the number of immune cells in the blood, a high rate of erythrocyte sedimentation, and a decrease in the level of hemoglobin.
- Enzyme immunoassay blood test.Using staining enzymes that attract worms, viruses and other foreign bodies, it allows detecting parasites at an early stage.
Additional tests for parasites in a child that can be done at the clinic include:
- Analysis for the presence of IgG antibodies;
- ultrasound examination;
- x-ray.
Features of drug treatment
After passing all the necessary tests and establishing the exact diagnosis and type of worms, the doctor should prescribe drugs to fight parasites in the child.Among the most common drugs against helminthic infection, the following should be noted:
- Anthelmintic drug that affects nematodes.Admission is allowed from 6 months.Bütün növ yumru qurdlara qarşı təsirlidir, lakin yastı parazitlərə qarşı faydasızdır.
- Anthelmintic drug from the benzimidazole group.It is appointed for 2-3 years.Dozaj hər kiloqram bədən çəkisi üçün 10 mq nisbətində müəyyən edilir.
- Antiprotozoal and antimicrobial drug from the group of nitroimidazoles.It is suitable for any age, so the daily dose is determined.
- An anthelmintic drug of the benzimidazole group.For children from 2 years old against roundworms.
What folk remedies can help?
In addition to drugs, worms can be treated with folk remedies.
The most popular products that can provide effective treatment of worms in children are:
- garlic.Tuber worms, tapeworms, pinworms are successfully destroyed and fight against many other types of parasites.Suitable for children above 5 years of age and with a healthy stomach.Give 1 clove before meals once a day.You can drink it with water or milk.Garlic is also an excellent antiviral agent.
- Pumpkin seeds.They should be eaten on an empty stomach and raw.Children usually love this treat.Otherwise, if the child is not allergic to honey, they can be crushed and mixed with honey.
- Sagebrush.Allowed for children over 12 years old.Mix with a piece of bread and add salt to make it easier to take.
- Fresh carrot juice.Half a glass once a day on an empty stomach is enough for 7-10 days.Carrots can also be chewed raw.
- Beet juice.It is given on an empty stomach.In order not to cause intestinal dysfunction, it is recommended to replace it with carrots.
- walnutA few pieces a day will be enough for a child.
- pineapple.Fresh, canned fruit is a delicious and effective remedy.
- Citrus fruits.You can add berries and fruits with a sour taste to their "company".
Prevention
Regardless of the type of worms, prevention consists in observing the rules of personal hygiene:
- Washed food.All vegetables, fruits and berries should be washed thoroughly before eating.As an additional measure, products can be washed with hot water.
- Clean hands.They need to be washed before eating, after going for walks, visiting the hospital and being in public places, using the toilet and playing with animals, even pets.
- Deworming of pets.It should be done at least 2 times a year.
- Boiled or filtered water for drinking.It is forbidden to drink water from open reservoirs.You should also avoid swimming in them to avoid splashing water in your mouth.The exception is salty lakes and seas.
- Regular prevention using folk methods.
- Caring for old and new toys.Soft toys should be washed periodically, plastic and plastic ones should be washed with boiled water.Before giving the new ones to the child, they should be moistened with boiling water.
- No to insects!Flies, mosquitoes and cockroaches carry helminth eggs on their legs.It is important to keep them out of the house.To do this, you can use fumigators, adhesive tapes and special colored pencils.
- Exclusion of fish and meat dishes that require less cooking of animal products from the child's diet.
- Submitting a stool test once a year.This procedure will help detect worms at an early stage.