Symptoms of the presence of worms in a child's body, causes of parasites in children, treatment

Helminthiasis is a parasitic disease that is particularly common in children. If the worms appeared in one of the organs or systems of the child's body, then their negative impact will not only affect its functioning, but also affect the work of the immune and nervous systems. Symptoms such as cough, lack of appetite, indigestion, allergic reaction may be accompanied by other unrelated symptoms. If you suspect a helminthic invasion, it is important to immediately contact a specialist and not self-medicate.

Why is helminthiasis dangerous?

Most helminthiases of the kind most commonly found in children parasitize in the intestines. In it they live and feed, causing them to reproduce and release toxins. Parasitic worms also mechanically affect the intestinal walls. The consequence of the active life of worms in a child's body can be:

• Devitaminosis and weight loss. These problems arise due to lack of nutrients and vitamins. As a result, children begin to lag behind in development. Pathological processes can start in other organs.
• Inflammation in the intestines, colitis, dysbacteriosis, bleeding. All these unpleasant and serious complications are caused by mechanical damage caused by worms in children to the body.
• The development of inflammatory processes in the appendix, liver, gall bladder. These are organs next 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.
• body poisoning. When the worms live and die inside a person, they release aggressive toxins.
• Allergy. Pest waste is considered a strong allergen.
• Violation of liver function. For this reason, the child must follow a diet for many years and in addition consume enzymes.
• Psychosis. Helminths tend to have a negative impact on the patient's nervous system.

Types of worms that affect the body of a child

There are many types of parasites that can appear in a child's body. They differ in size, they are both small and large, and they also manifest in different ways and have a different incubation period, which ranges from 1–1. 5 months. To effectively prescribe drugs that will help treat helminths, you need to correctly determine their type. The most common types in children are:

1. Tape-cassette. This type of worms includes cestodes, pygmy tapeworms, tapeworms, and pinworms.
2. Ringed. Among them the annelidas.
3. Round. Their representatives are trichinella, pinworms, whipworms, nematodes, roundworms.
4. Prickly pear. They are represented by scrapers.
5. Apartment. Among them are the shaky and the bloated.

Causes and methods of infection

It is possible to get infected with helminthiasis not only in an exotic country or by trying an unusual dish on the menu. Sandbox play and unwashed hands are the easiest way for worms to enter a child's body. Toddlers have a tendency to touch and study everything, without thinking about the purity of the subject being studied. After that, they can safely lick their fingers without washing them first. Worms remain viable for a very long time (from weeks to months), remaining on the surface of various objects.

In addition to dirty hands, the main sources of contamination include:

• dirty toys and surfaces.
• clothes;
• shoes?
• Bars at the entrance;
• knobs?
• raw water;
• dirty vegetables and fruits.
• soil, earth, sand.
• contact with a sick child.
• undercooked meat.
• poorly processed fish or other seafood.

Symptoms of parasites in children

Usually in children under 1 year any manifestations of the presence of parasites in the body are observed in individual cases. The first symptoms that signal helminth infection are recorded already at an older age (about 2-3 years) in children who go to kindergarten or other developing institutions.

Helminthiasis in children is represented by a huge variety, and each individual type has its own special characteristics. However, there are a number of symptoms that are characteristic of each type of worms:

• irritability and moodiness for no apparent reason.
• restless sleep?
• allergy;
• itching in the anus;
• increased salivation;
• disturbed digestion, accompanied by diarrhea, constipation, nausea and bloating.
• Lack of appetite?
• weight loss with good nutrition.
• pallor of the skin.

In adult children, these symptoms may include:

• headache;
• stomach discomfort;
• dizziness;
• increased fatigue;
• poor concentration.

Enterobiasis (tapeworms)

A disease when such parasites as pinworms enter the child's body is called enterobiasis. This type of helminth is one of the most common in young children of preschool age - from 2 to 5 years old. They differ in medium-sized sizes, which are 5-13 mm, and minimal damage compared to other types of pests.

Their presence causes the following symptoms to appear:

1. Violent itching in the anus. Its intensity can reach such a force that the child will not sleep well, scratching the anus, causing irritation and inflammation.
2. Urinary incontinence during night sleep. Seen in girls. This happens if worms 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 types of worms. It is important in time, when the first signs appear, to consult a doctor and pass the necessary tests. If pinworms were found in a child, then the parents also need treatment. All clothes, towels and other rags should be washed and ironed and the room thoroughly washed, as the eggs of these worms are found on all surfaces in the home of the infected person.

Ascariasis (worm)

The second most common in children are roundworms of large sizes up to 40 cm, which live in the small intestine - roundworms. In addition to the general symptoms of helminthiasis, in the case of roundworm, an infected person in the initial stage develops an irrational cough in the absence of any inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract. Its appearance is due to the fact that the larvae of this type of parasite enter the lungs and upper respiratory tract and through coughing enter the stomach again.

Other features include:

• headache and dizziness;
• allergy;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• elevated temperature;
• intestinal disorders.

At the same time, itching on the buttocks with roundworms is absent. Not only the intestines, but also any other organ or system of the body can become a habitat.

trichuriasis (moustache)

These pests in children are worms with a very thin body, the length of which reaches 5 cm. The female whipworm can lay up to 2 thousand eggs at a time. Usually, such helminths are more common in adolescence, and in young children they appear much less often.

A characteristic feature of trichuriasis is the almost complete absence of signs of helminthic invasion. Possible symptoms include:

• disorders in the work of the nervous system (irritability, headaches);
• problems with the digestive system, accompanied by diarrhea, nausea or vomiting;
• increase in body temperature.

Signs of other pests

Other types of worms that can appear in children include the following:

• Pygmy rat hymenoscopy or tape. It has no specific symptoms. Its presence can be recognized by nausea, loss of appetite, heartburn, diarrhea and constipation, headache, abdominal pain, increased salivation, dizziness, fatigue, skin rashes, allergic rhinitis and bronchospasm.
• Opithorhiasis or Siberian cat. These worms in a child cause hypofebrile temperature, rashes on the skin, swollen lymph nodes, pain in the joints and right hypochondrium, pancreatitis, gastritis and other signs of digestive system dysfunction, permanent catarrhal syndrome and others.

• Toxocariasis. It is transmitted through animals. The main symptoms are an allergic cough with choking and skin rashes, which are characterized by intense itching.
• Wide ribbon. The source of contamination is not fried or not boiled fish. Symptoms include abdominal pain, allergic reaction, B12 deficiency anemia, and other common signs of a gut disorder.

How to check if your child has worms?

In most cases, it is difficult for parents to associate specific symptoms with helminthiasis or to understand why a child suddenly has vomiting or other symptoms for no apparent reason. At the slightest suspicion of the appearance of worms, one should go to specialists and do tests, which make it easy to check the case of helminthic invasion. It will not take much time and effort, but the reason for the baby's illness will be exactly clear, and it will be possible to carry out treatment in a timely manner.

Self-diagnosis

Self-diagnosis is a careful monitoring of changes in the behavior, development, habits, routine and physiological state of the child - both physical and emotional-psychological.

Includes:

• periodic examination of feces for the presence of worms.
• monitoring the frequency of visits to the toilet.
• examining the skin for rashes, redness or irritation.
• controlling the amount of food consumed.

Tests

Medical diagnosis is necessary to confirm the diagnosis if the worms were detected visually or only if helminthic invasion is suspected. To find out the cause of the symptoms, you need to do a series of tests, which include:

1. Stool analysis. In it, you can find eggs or parts of already mature worms. The effectiveness of the method is maximal during the period when mature individuals are already present in the gut, i. e. approximately 3 weeks to a month after infection. Fecal material should be collected in the morning and sent to the laboratory.
2. A smear or scraping from the anus. To do this, use a dry swab dipped in glycerin or adhesive tape. The analysis allows you to identify the worm larvae that were deposited in the skin areas in the anus.
3. General blood analysis. Patients with blood helminthiasis may have an increased number of immune cells, a high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and a decreased hemoglobin level.
4. ELISA blood test. It allows you to detect parasites at an early stage with the help of staining enzymes that attract worms, viruses and other foreign bodies.

Additional tests for parasites in a child that may be done in an outpatient setting include:

• analysis for the presence of IgG antibodies.
• ultrasound procedure;
• x-ray.

Characteristics of drug therapy

The appointment of drugs to combat parasites in a child should be handled by a doctor after passing all the required tests and determining an accurate diagnosis and type of worms. Among the most common drugs against helminthic invasion, it should be noted:

1. Anthelmintic drug that acts on nematodes. Acceptance is allowed from 6 months. Effective against all types of roundworms, but useless against flatworms.
2. Anthelmintic drug of the benzimidazole group. Appointed from 2-3 years. The dosage is determined at the rate of 10 mg per kilogram of body weight.
3. Antiprotozoal and antimicrobial drug from the group of nitroimidazoles. Suitable for any age according to which the daily dose is determined.
4. 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 for worms in children are:

• Garlic. It successfully destroys roundworms, tapeworms, tapeworms and treats many other varieties of pests. Suitable for children from 5 years old and with a healthy stomach. 1 clove should be administered before meals once a day. It can be taken 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 like this treatment. Otherwise, they can be crushed and mixed with honey if the child is not allergic to honey.
• Hair brush. Allowed for children from 12 years old. To simplify reception, it should be mixed with a piece of bread and salt.
• Fresh carrot juice. Enough half a cup on an empty stomach once a day for 7-10 days. You can also nibble on raw carrots.
• Beet juice. Administered on an empty stomach. It is recommended to alternate it with carrots so as not to cause a stool violation.
• Walnuts. A few pieces a day will be enough for a child.
• A pineapple. Fresh, not canned, fruit is a delicious and effective treat.
• citrus fruits. In their "company" you can add berries and fruits with a sour taste.

Prevention

Regardless of the type of worms, prevention lies in observing the basic rules of personal hygiene:

1. Washed food. All vegetables, fruits and berries should be washed well before eating. As an additional measure, the products can be poured with boiling water.
2. Clean hands. You must wash them before eating, after walking, visiting the hospital and staying in public places, after going to the toilet and playing with animals, even pets.
3. Deworming of pets. It must be done at least twice a year.
4. Boiled or filtered water for drinking. Drinking water from open tanks is prohibited. Swimming in them should also be avoided to prevent water from entering the mouth. Salt lakes and seas are an exception.
5. Regular prevention with the help of folk remedies.
6. Care of old and new toys. Soft toys should be washed periodically, plastics and plastics should be washed with boiling water. The new ones, before giving them to a child, must be poured with boiling water without fail.
7. No insects! Flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches carry helminth eggs on their feet. It is important to prevent them from entering the house. To do this, you can use fumigators, adhesive tapes and special crayons.
8. Exclusion from the child's diet of dishes with fish and meat that require low cooking of animal products.
9. Stool analysis once a year. This process will help detect worms at an early stage.