Anyone can be infected with parasites, but babies are particularly affected and in summer the risk is particularly high. There are different types of worms, but they all have a negative impact on health. Parents need to know what worms are in children - below we will consider the symptoms and treatment of such a disease as helminthiasis.
Types of worms in humans
There are 12, 000 worms on our planet (they are also called helminths). They live in soil, food and animals, while around 200 varieties can live in the human body. Parasites must always have a host and often choose babies for their habitat. When a child learns about the world, he tastes everything that comes to hand, so he is constantly in danger.
The most common types of worms in children are threadworms or roundworms. These include:
- Ascariscause ascariasis. Helminths are large and can reach a length of 40 cm and parasitize the gastrointestinal tract and the small intestine.
- Pinwormscause enterobiosis. The worms are small (less than 1 cm long) and whitish-yellow in color. These helminths live in children in the cecum or small intestine. Their life cycle lasts up to 4 weeks.
- Cestodoses- These are flatworms that parasitize the intestines and various organs. Helminths cause diseases such as taeniasis, echinococcosis, hymenolepiasis, teniarinhoz and diphyllobothriasis.
- Trematodiasesare flatworms or trematodes. These include cat fluke, leucochloridium paradoxalis, schistosome. Parasites cause diseases such as fascioliasis and opisthorchiasis.
Ways of worm infection
According to official medical statistics, worms in children under 2 years old and in preschool children attending educational institutions occur in 80% of cases. These official numbers are recorded in babies who have undergone laboratory tests. Helminths use all kinds of means to enter the human body. The most common routes of infection are:
- dirty hands or contact with infected animals;
- improperly washed fruits or vegetables;
- natural water;
- improperly processed fish or meat.
How to understand that the child has worms?
In order to answer the question of what are worms in children (symptoms and treatment are determined by the type of helminth), you need to find out how the infection occurred and in which internal organ the parasites areentered. Very often they do not manifest themselves in any way, and the disease proceeds in a latent form, so the doctor cannot always determine their presence. Helminths live in the human body for years or even decades, they adapt to the most adverse conditions.
Common signs of worms in children can be:
- nausea in the morning;
- anal itching;
- headache;
- bruxism - is the grinding of teeth in a dream;
- profuse salivation at night;
- dizziness;
- nasal polyps;
- inflammation of the genitals;
- periodic pain around the navel;
- mutton stool, diarrhea or constipation;
- loss of appetite;
- pallor of the skin.
If you find more than five of the listed symptoms in your child, it is worth suggesting helminthic invasion. Each person can be a carrier of various helminths that parasitize the body and lead to intoxication and serious illness. With the activation of parasites, the signs may change. When you suspect worms in children, the symptoms may also show up in outward signs:
- "chicks" (rashes) on the thighs or forearms;
- bruises and dark circles under the eyes;
- early caries;
- lack of body weight;
- fragility of nails and hair;
- growth disorder;
- allergic reactions.
Worms in children can affect the nervous system:
- babies become irritable;
- concentration of attention decreases;
- perseverance is lost;
- sleep is disturbed.
What do worms in a child's stool look like?
Very often, young parents are interested in the question of how to detect worms in the stool of a child. In fact, only large worms can be seen in children's feces. Parasites leave the body in clots, in which there are only a few individuals. If you see foreign inclusions, it is better to contact a specialist and take tests to exclude the presence of parasites.
Worm tests in children
When parents suspect the presence of worms in children, the symptoms and treatment depend on the stage of the disease. In order to determine the diagnosis, you need to take the child to a gastroenterologist or pediatrician. The doctor performs an initial examination and prescribes an examination that includes:
- enzyme immunoassay - helps to recognize the type of worm and its presence, for this, blood is taken from the child in a vein on an empty stomach;
- a blood test for helminths in a child - the main indicators are: the number of eosinophils, the presence of anemia and a color indicator;
- scraping, smear for enterobiasis - taken from the anus;
- a general analysis of feces for eggs and dysbacteriosis is carried out in 3 stages, since some types of worms do not lay eggs regularly;
- computed tomography, x-ray or ultrasound examination - are performed to detect the presence of worms in the human body.
The child has worms - what to do?
After the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor prescribes the treatment of worms in children, medications must be strictly agreed with the doctor), talks about folk methods and what products to use for quick recovery. Parents should know that it is impossible to give babies medicine on their own, as this can lead to irreversible consequences and thus aggravate the condition of the child.
If you do not know how to get rid of worms in children, contact a specialist who will write you several stages of treatment. They include:
- preparation of the body - in this case, sorbents and antihistamines are prescribed;
- anthelmintic therapy - traditional drugs against parasites, which can be in the form of tablets, suppositories or suspensions;
- cleansing the body - enemas, choleretic drugs or sorbents.
Treatment of worms in children is carried out at home, if there are no complications in the form of infectious lesions. Throughout time, the child must follow a special diet. After the first treatment, the child is re-examined and tested. If they again show the presence of parasites in the body, the drugs are again prescribed.
Tablets from worms for children
Currently, there are several drugs that help get rid of worms. They are available in tablets and are intended for babies. Before use, consultation with a specialist is necessary.
Suspension of worms for children
If your child is still small and does not know how to drink pills, specially designed suspensions are suitable for him.
Folk remedies for worms in children
With the help of traditional medicine, it is impossible to completely get rid of parasites, but you can increase immunity and speed up treatment. A remedy for children's worms should be taken carefully and only with the permission of a doctor. The most popular products are:
- Garlic;
- pumpkin seeds;
- carrot juice;
- vegetable oil;
- infusions of celandine and wormwood or tansy.
Prevention of worms in children
All parents should know that deworming tablets for children as a preventive measure can be given to create a special microflora in which helminths simply cannot exist.
To avoid being infected with parasites, you must:
- Respect the rules of personal hygiene.
- Wash hands with soap and water after using the toilet and walking.
- Fight the flies.
- Keep pacifiers and toys clean.
- Iron clothes and laundry.
- Handle food with care.
Depending on the age of the baby, there is a difference in the prevention of worms in children, drugs begin to be given only from 6 months.