Symptoms that signal worms in children. Do not delay your treatment!

Worms most often appear in children of preschool and primary school age. Where do worms come from? The main cause of helminth infestation in children is poor hygiene. Young children do not always wash their hands, they like to put their fingers in their mouths, bite their nails and eat unwashed fruits and vegetables. The development of helminth infestation occurs if a person has weakened immunity. The immune system in children is still being formed, it is unable to cope with a large number of foreign agents. Signs of worms in children resemble symptoms of poisoning or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Why are worms dangerous for a child's body? They damage internal organs, absorb nutrients, cause inflammation. Toxins released by helminths adversely affect the baby's nervous system. You can remove worms with the help of traditional and traditional medicine.

Types of helminthiasis in children

Helminths in children occur quite often, especially in preschool age. The risk of infection is always high. The child can catch an infection in kindergarten, on the playground, in contact with animals. Also, children often neglect to wash their hands after going to the toilet before eating.

What are worms? Worms are a huge group of parasitic worms. They can live in the intestines, liver, respiratory tract, some can affect the heart and brain. The main types of worms in children:

1. Roundworms - the most numerous class of human parasites, including pinworms, roundworms, hookworms, Trichinella.
2. Tapeworm - the class includes cattle and swine tapeworm (tapeworm), echinococcus.
3. Trematodes are digenetic flukes, they include schistosomes, opisthorchiasis, flukes (liver and cat).

In addition, parasitic diseases are caused by protozoa (protists) - single-celled organisms; in the human intestine parasitize Giardia or amoeba.

Diseases caused by parasites in children have different degrees of danger, but have similar symptoms. Most of the roundworms parasitize in the gastrointestinal tract, are found in the contents of the duodenum, in the feces. The source of food for worms is digested food (most often carbohydrates), sometimes blood. Helminthiasis in children has symptoms similar to an eating disorder or gastrointestinal disease.

The most common types of helminthiasis in children

Children are much more susceptible to worms than adults. The most common helminthiasis in children:

1. Enterobiasis (infection with pinworms).
2. Ascariasis (invasion of roundworms).
3. Giardiasis (invasion of giardiasis).

Oysters live only in the intestines. Migratory larvae of roundworms enter the respiratory tract, liver and heart. Giardia very often causes diseases of the liver and gallbladder, although they are unable to survive in these organs. Are these diseases contagious?

Enterobiosis is transmitted from person to person through handshakes, contact with household items used by the patient.

Ascariasis and giardiasis, under certain conditions, can also be passed from a baby to other family members.

Enterobiosis

The main cause of pinworm infection is dirty hands. Also, parasite eggs can enter a baby's body when they eat poorly washed fruit. Signs of worm infection appear after 3-4 weeks from the date of infection. A characteristic feature of enterobiosis is itching in the anal area, which occurs during sleep. Unpleasant sensations are caused by the movement of female worms that crawl out to lay eggs. In a severe invasion, you can see the worms in the feces of a child with the naked eye.

When the baby scratches the anus and then the hands fall into the mouth (which often happens in young children), re-infection occurs. Therefore, during the period of treatment of helminthiasis, children should be monitored so that they regularly wash their hands and eat only well-processed food.

ascariasis

Infection with roundworms occurs through unwashed products, insufficiently heat-treated meat, in contact with animals. The parasites enter the baby's body in the form of eggs and larvae. The eggs develop in the intestines, the larvae begin to migrate through the blood and lymph ducts. They reach the liver, the right ventricle of the heart, the lungs. These organs are regularly and abundantly supplied with oxygen, which is so necessary for the larvae to grow into adults. From the lungs the larvae enter the bronchi, trachea, cough and are swallowed with saliva in the stomach. The cycle of movements continues until the larva grows.

In worms in children, in addition to the typical symptoms, an intense cough may occur. Helminthiasis in children is detected using a coprogram and specific blood tests.

Giardiasis

Giardiasis in a child develops when more than 10 cysts enter the body. Cysts are immobile, resistant to environmental conditions, a form of existence of lamblia, from which under favorable conditions develop individuals capable of reproduction. Movable protists can live only in conditions that are created only in the small intestine of man.

Stages of development of Giardia invasion in humans:

1. Cysts from the oral cavity enter the stomach and then the duodenum. The protective capsule is destroyed, two Giardia are released.
2. Giardia eat simple carbohydrates, multiplied by longitudinal cell division in half.
3. Some parasites pass into the large intestine, where they can only exist in the form of cysts.
4. During the act of defecation, the cysts come out, falling into the external environment.

Giardia cysts can be found in water, vegetables, fruits, meat, home surfaces. They are very stubborn, difficult to destroy with conventional cleaners. The risk of human-to-human transmission is low.

Typical symptoms of helminthiasis in children

The first signs of worms appear 2-4 weeks after infection. Worm infestation in children can be acute or latent. If the parasite population is small, then the baby may not feel any discomfort.

The main symptoms of worms in children:

1. Abdominal pain with different localization and intensity, manifested by seizures.
2. Stool disorders, diarrhea and constipation.
3. Nausea, vomiting.
4. Decreased or, conversely, brutal appetite.
5. Intestinal dysbacteriosis.
6. Loss of energy, dizziness.
7. Sleep disorders.
8. dermatitis.
9. Pale skin, blue circles under the eyes.
10. Girls may develop urinary incontinence.

Dermatitis (rash, redness, itchy skin) is the result of an allergic reaction to toxins released by helminths. Harmful substances also affect the state of the nervous system. Children look tired, irritable, capricious.

Acute infection is accompanied by symptoms of helminths in children - fever, vomiting, diarrhea.

Tests for helminths in children

How to recognize worms in a child? Worm infestations in children are difficult to determine from the clinical picture. The symptoms of different helminthiasis are similar. The detection of worms is done both with the help of time-tested and with new methods for laboratory diagnostics.

1. Histological stool analysis allows you to check for the presence of helminth eggs in the stool.
2. Microscopic examination of scrapings from the anus (helps to identify enterobiosis).
3. Analysis of the contents of the duodenum. Worms or protozoa can be found in the contents of the duodenum.
4. General blood test with leukocyte formula. Indirect signs of the presence of worms are increased levels of eosinophils and anemia.
5. Serological tests for antibodies to helminth antigens.
6. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis.

PCR is the most reliable and sensitive method for diagnosing helminth infestations. Blood, feces, scrapes are suitable for analysis. The test determines the presence of foreign DNA in a biological sample. The efficiency of the histological coprogram is less than that of PCR and ELISA.

Principles of treatment of helminthic infestations

How to get rid of worms in children? The method of treatment depends on the type and degree of helminthic invasion. Helminthiasis is usually treated conservatively (without surgery), but surgery is performed to remove echinococcal cysts.

The treatment of worms in children consists of several stages:

1. Preparing the body for treatment.
2. In fact, therapy, taking anthelmintic drugs.
3. Recovery of the body after illness and medication. It is necessary to normalize the functioning of the nervous system, increase immunity, get rid of intestinal dysbacteriosis.

The treatment period usually takes about three months. Before starting therapy, you must determine exactly whether the child has worms. The treatment is prescribed and supervised by a doctor.

Drug therapy of helminthiasis in children

The integrated approach will help to completely cure all types of helminthiasis without harming the body. You can treat worms in a child with the help of certain drugs:

1. Anthelmintic drugs. These include antiparasitic drugs, which differ in spectrum and principle of action. It is appointed depending on the type of invasion. It will be more convenient for the baby to take the medicine in the form of a suspension.
2. Sorbents. Binds toxins, accelerates the elimination of worms from the body. Only strictly defined doses of sorbents can be taken, otherwise serious digestive disorders can occur.
3. Antiallergics. Helps relieve the symptoms of allergies to waste products of helminths.
4. Hepatoprotectors. Assign during the recovery period. Helps to normalize liver function.
5. enzyme preparations. Restore normal digestion.

Enemas are also prescribed to treat the patient's enterobiosis. If the baby is prone to constipation, the doctor will prescribe baby laxatives. It is important to provide regular bowel movements to eliminate parasites and toxins from the body. It is impossible to take any medication uncontrollably, as there is a possibility of side effects.

Traditional worm medicine

Traditional medicine is not desirable to use for the treatment of helminthiasis in children. They do not kill worms and do not help remove them from the body. Folk remedies can be used only in combination with medical treatment.

How to remove worms from a child with folk methods? Here are some of the most common recipes:

1. Pumpkin seed. Contains components that interfere with the normal functioning of worms, remove toxins. Peeled seeds (100 g) are crushed and covered with olive oil (100 ml). The tincture is given to the child before meals (three hours) for three days. The treatment is repeated after 2 days. Pumpkin seeds can be boiled in milk (15 seeds in 1 cup). The medicine is given to the baby to drink before lunch.

2. Garlic mixture. A few cloves of garlic (2-3) should be rubbed on a fine grater, mix with a small amount of water until smooth. For a small child garlic mash mixed with a spoonful of milk or orange juice to drink at bedtime.
3. Onions in oil. 100 grams of onion cut, pour a teaspoon of salt, pour 50 ml of sunflower or olive oil. The mixture is given to the baby five consecutive days before bedtime.

Beetroot and carrot juice, echinacea tincture will help boost the child's immunity. Restore the nervous system - chamomile tea. Chamomile is also used for enemas in enterobiosis.

Folk remedies are contraindicated in children with peptic ulcer, gastritis, pancreatitis, allergy. And, of course, before you start testing "grandma's recipes" on a child, first consult a pediatrician and parasitologist, otherwise the result of such therapy may be the most unpredictable.

Nutritional supplements and homeopathy for worms

The Internet is full of advertisements for dietary supplements (BAAs) and homeopathic remedies that manufacturers say will completely eliminate worms. Feedback on the funds is extremely positive.

Why can't nutritional supplements be used to treat worms in a child? Biologically active food supplements help to normalize metabolism, increase the body's resistance, improve the work of internal organs, but do not get rid of parasites. They can only be used in combination with traditional medicines.

Homeopathic remedies consist of a complex of natural extracts. They also do not have a detrimental effect on worms. But they can increase immunity, restore metabolism. Homeopathic remedies are now banned in many countries due to their ineffectiveness.

Prevention of helminthiasis in children

Preventing helminthiasis in children involves simple measures:

1. hygiene. Parents should ensure that the child regularly washes his hands, takes a bath or shower, does not bite his nails, does not take toys in his mouth.
2. Sufficient heat treatment of meat and fish.
3. Regular scraping for enterobiosis (this procedure is performed in kindergarten).
4. Healthy sleep, adherence to the daily routine.
5. Balanced diet.
6. Taking vitamins.

Drug prophylaxis should be carried out if cases of infection have been reported in a kindergarten or school, a family member or a pet has caught the infection.

The symptoms of helminths in children are easily confused with manifestations of food poisoning, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The doctor will tell you how to find out if the child has worms. Children can be treated for worms after an accurate diagnosis under the strict supervision of a specialist. Caring parents need to understand that the health of young children is entirely in their hands.