Helminthiases or helminthic infestations in children are not uncommon. Actively learning the world, children try to learn everything about everything, and rarely think about how safe it is. Care for the preservation of the health of children completely falls on the shoulders of the parents. That is why young mothers and fathers will not stop to learn about invisible, but quite harmful to health parasites, like worms. In this article we will consider how to find out if the child has worms, what are the first signs of worms in children and how to deal with this unpleasant phenomenon.
How does the infection occur?
To date, doctors have information on more than 350 types of worms. The most common infection with pinworms, tapeworm, ascarids and lamblia (hepatic worms).
The infection of a human with worms occurs in the following way: the mature eggs of helminths or their larvae enter the human body with water, food, contact or through the air. Some types of worms spread through infection by biting certain kinds of insects or through the skin. The danger of their presence in the host (host) is due to the fact that the helminths absorb nutrients from the host's body, causing beriberi deficiency or deficiency of various elements. Parasites can cause serious discomfort in the work of entire body systems, occupying and hitting individual organs. In some cases, worms cause a delay in the physical development of children. Among other things, the products of the vital activity of parasites poison the child's body, causing allergies, irritations and intoxications.
Worms are divided into four main types:
- Nematodes (roundworms): ascarids, trichinella, pinworms, whipworms, etc.
- Flat worms.
- Thornhead worms (Acanthocephala.
- Annelids (annelids).
The first two types of worms parasitize on humans quite often, invasion of annelids or Acanthocephala is rare.
Signs of the appearance of worms in the child
To say unequivocally, what signs at worms at the child, it is impossible. Depending on the type of helminths and the mode of infection, the symptoms, the course of the disease and its consequences vary considerably. And yet there are several common signs that indicate possible helminthization. A child may exhibit one or more of the following symptoms:
- intoxication of the body;
- deficiency of minerals and / or vitamins with full nutrition;
- allergic reactions.
Most often, the first sign of worms in children is intoxication. It manifests itself in the form of deterioration of health, sharp changes in appetite (from total absence to super-strong), general weakness, lethargy and irritability. Signs of worms in an infant may be constipation (or vice versa, diarrhea), a bad dream, a fever without obvious causes, pale skin, a rash, bluish circles under the eyes.
How do you know if the child has worms?
Sometimes they can be seen in feces (if it is contaminated with pinworms) or probed in the abdomen (with ascariasis). To obtain the most accurate and complete result, a laboratory analysis of stool should be performed. It is best to repeat it several times (the optimal number of repetitions is three). The results of a general blood test can also help in the diagnosis of helminthic invasion. If there is a suspicion of infection with worms, consult a doctor and prescribe the treatment.
Treatment of helminths in children
To date, there are a lot of folk methods for treating helminthiosis - decoctions of tansy, wormwood, pumpkin seeds and garlic juice. All these tools will not be superfluous, but do not limit yourself to them. To achieve complete disposal of uninvited "residents", use special medications. The choice of means for fighting worms that are dispensed in a pharmacy without a prescription is huge: fed, decaris, vermox, pyrantel, etc.
Two main points about the treatment of helminthiosis, which should be remembered and performed:
- Deworming should be done regularly, best every three months;
- Treatment should be simultaneously run by all family members and pets. If you treat selectively or all in turn, there will not be an effect - you will simply infect each other. Remember once and for all: you need to treat ALL and SIMULTANEOUSLY.