Everyone can become infected with parasites, but babies are especially affected by them, and in the summer the risk is especially high. There are different types of worms, but they all have a negative impact on health. Parents should know what worms are in children - we will consider the symptoms and treatment of a disease such as helminthiasis below.
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 about 200 varieties can live in the human body. Parasites must always have a host and often choose babies for their habitat. When a child gets to know the world, he tastes everything that comes to hand, so he is constantly at risk.
The most common types of worms in children are nematodes or roundworms. These include:
- Roundwormcause ascariasis. Helminths are large and can reach a length of 40 cm. They parasitize in the gastrointestinal tract and in the small intestine.
- Pinwormscause enterobiasis. The worms are small (less than 1 cm long) and whitish-yellow in color. Such helminths live in children in the caecum or small intestine. Their life cycle is up to 4 weeks.
- Cestodoses- These are tape flatworms that parasitize in the intestines and various organs. Helminths cause diseases such as teniosis, echinococcosis, hymenolepiasis, teniarinhoz and diphyllobothriasis.
- Trematodosesare flatworms or trematodes. These include cat fluke, paradoxical leukochloridium, schistosome. Parasites provoke diseases such as fascioliasis and opisthorchiasis.
Ways of infection with worms
According to official medical statistics, worms in children under 2 years of age and in preschoolers attending educational institutions occur in 80% of cases. These official figures are registered in those babies who underwent laboratory examinations. Helminths use all sorts of ways to get into the human body. The most common routes of infection are:
- dirty hands or contact with infected animals;
- poorly washed fruits or vegetables;
- raw water;
- poorly processed fish or meat.
How to understand that the child has worms?
In order to answer the question of what worms are in children (symptoms and treatment are determined by the type of helminths), you need to know how the infection occurred and which internal organ the parasites got into. 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 and even decades, they adapt to the most adverse conditions.
Common signs of worms in children can be as follows:
- nausea in the morning;
- anal itching;
- headaches;
- bruxism - is the grinding of teeth in a dream;
- profuse salivation at night;
- dizziness;
- nasal polyps;
- inflammation of the genital organs;
- periodic pain around the navel;
- sheep stool, diarrhea or constipation;
- loss of appetite;
- pallor of the skin.
If you find more than five of these symptoms in your child, then you should assume a helminthic invasion. Each person can be a carrier of various helminths that parasitize in the body and lead to intoxication and serious illness. With the activation of parasites, the signs may change. When you suspect worms in children, symptoms may also appear in outward signs:
- "chicks" (rashes) on the thighs or forearms;
- bruises and 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 look like in a child's stool?
Very often, young parents are interested in the question of how to detect worms in the feces 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, then it is better to contact a specialist and take tests to rule out the presence of parasites.
Tests for worms in children
When parents suspect worms in children, 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 conducts an initial examination and prescribes an examination, which includes:
- enzyme immunoassay - helps to recognize the type of worm and its presence, for this, blood is taken from the child from 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, because some types of worms do not lay eggs regularly;
- computed tomography, radiography or ultrasound examination - are carried out 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, the drugs should be strictly agreed with the doctor), talks about folk methods and products that should be used for a quick recovery. Parents should know that it is impossible to give medicines to babies on their own, because this can lead to irreversible consequences and thereby worsen the condition of the child.
If you do not know how to get rid of worms in children, then contact a specialist who will write you several stages of therapy. They include:
- preparation of the body - in this case, sorbents and antihistamines are prescribed;
- anthelmintic therapy - traditional drugs for 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 the time the child must follow a special diet. After the first course of therapy, the child is re-examined and tested. If they again show the presence of parasites in the body, then the drugs are prescribed again.
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 required.
Suspension from worms for children
If your child is still small and does not know how to drink pills, then 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 worms for children 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 for prevention can be given to create a special microflora in which helminths simply cannot exist.
In order not to become infected with parasites, you must:
- Observe the rules of personal hygiene.
- Wash hands with soap and water after using the toilet and walking.
- Fight flies.
- Keep pacifiers and toys clean.
- Iron clothes and linen.
- Handle food carefully.
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.