Anyone can be 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; 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 some 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, she tries everything she has at hand, for which she is constantly at risk.
The most common types of worms in children are nematodes or roundworms. These include:
- round wormcause ascariasis. Helminths are large and can reach a length of 40 cm, they parasitize in the gastrointestinal tract and the small intestine.
- Intestinal wormscause enterobiasis. 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. Its life cycle is up to 4 weeks.
- cestodosis- These are flatworms that parasitize in the intestines and various organs. Helminths cause diseases such as taeniasis, echinococcosis, hymenolepiasis, teniarinhoz and diphyllobothriasis.
- flukeThey are flatworms or trematodes. These include cat flukes, paradoxical leukochloride, schistosome. Parasites cause 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 preschool children attending educational institutions occur in 80% of cases. These official figures are recorded on those babies who underwent laboratory tests. Helminths use all kinds of ways to enter 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?
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 what 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 is not always able to 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 the following:
- 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 feces, diarrhea or constipation;
- loss of appetite;
- paleness of the skin
If you find more than five of the listed symptoms in your child, it is worth suggesting a helminthic invasion. Each person can be a carrier of various helminths that parasitize the body and cause poisoning and serious illness. With the activation of the parasites, the signs may change. When you suspect worms in children, symptoms can also appear in external signs:
- "chicks" (rashes) on the thighs or forearms;
- bruises and circles under the eyes;
- early caries;
- lack of body weight;
- brittleness of nails and hair;
- growth disorder;
- allergic reactions.
Worms in children can affect the nervous system:
- babies become irritable;
- the 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 the feces of children. Parasites leave the body in clots, in which there are only a few individuals. If you see strange inclusions, it is better to contact a specialist and carry out 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. 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, the child's blood is taken 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 regularly lay eggs;
- computed tomography, x-ray or ultrasound examination - are carried out to detect the presence of worms in the human body.
The child has worms, what to do?
After confirming the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes the treatment of worms in children, the drugs must be strictly agreed with the doctor), talks about folk methods and products that must be used for a speedy recovery. Parents should know that it is impossible to give babies medication on their own, as this can lead to irreversible consequences, and thus worsen the child's condition.
If you do not know how to get rid of worms in children, contact a specialist who will write you various 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;
- body cleansing: enemas, choleretics or sorbents.
Treatment of worms in children is carried out at home, if there are no complications in the form of infectious lesions. All the time the child must follow a special diet. After the first cycle of therapy, the child is re-examined and evaluated. If they show the presence of parasites in the body again, 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 of worms for children.
If your child is still small and does not know how to take 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.
Every parent should know that children's deworming tablets can be given for prevention to create a special microflora in which helminths simply cannot exist.
In order not to get infected with parasites, you must:
- Observe the rules of personal hygiene.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after going to the bathroom and walking.
- Fight flies.
- Keep pacifiers and toys clean.
- Iron clothes and bedding.
- 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.