Worms in children

Helminths or worms are parasites that feed on the host's body and release toxins that affect internal organs and systems. The most common groups are pinworms and roundworms, which occur in the bodies of young children who interact with the external environment in the most unhygienic way. Worms prevent the absorption of nutrients, minerals and vitamins, because they borrow them for life, and intoxication from their products damages the liver, gastrointestinal tract, and in severe cases, muscles, lungs, eyes, and brain without timely intervention.

Ways of infection with worms:

• contact with soil and water containing parasite eggs (sand and pond are not excluded);
• use of improperly processed products - plant foods, meat, fish may contain worm eggs;
• negligent approach to hygiene;
• transmission of worms to the newborn at birth;
• regular contact with animals, especially stray animals or those who go out;
• to visit a room with insects;
• contact with already infected children;
• low immunity;
• moving to another country due to stress and incomplete adaptation of the body.

Based on the causes of the disease, it is not difficult to develop a system of minimal prevention - to teach the child to wash their hands regularly, feed him only properly processed foods and provide sanitary control at home. However, no one canceled contact with stray animals and lick the swing, resulting in intestinal damage by parasites. Not all helminths are immediately active - they can be in the body in a "sleep" mode for years, so regular checkups are extremely important, especially for children.

Classification of parasites

Different types of worms do not affect the body in the same way, and have their own characteristics, both during development and in terms of appearance and damage. There are three most common groups of worms - nematodes, cestodes, trematodes.

The first group is the primary cavity worms. They live on land and in water, so they are easy to catch in the sand and generally while walking. This group includes the most common pinworms and roundworms, and also includes forkworms, trichinella, ringworm. Depending on which parasite causes the infection, ascariasis, enterobiasis, trichocephalus, etc.

Cestodes are tapeworms that can live both in the intestines (the most common variant is tapeworms) and in organs (usually tapeworm larvae, echinococci, alveococci live there). According to which of these worms are found in children, echinococcosis, teniosis, hymenolepiasis, etc.

The last of the three popular groups are trematodes created by trematodes. These are several types of flatworms - schistosomiasis, cat / liver fluke, leukochloridium. They provoke opisthorchiasis (transmitted by fish of the cyprinid family) and fascioliasis (suffering from the liver and bile system, infection with plants or water).

Symptoms

There are many symptoms, and individual manifestations depend on which eggs and which helminths enter the body. Then, we will talk about the common symptoms for all parasitic infections, then enterobiosis, ascariasis and 5 more types of infections.

Common symptoms:

• increased irritability, restless sleep, decreased persistence and alertness, frequent tantrums and anger;
• increased appetite associated with active weight loss;
• Symptoms of the digestive system - diarrhea, constipation, nausea, pain in the right hypochondrium;
• dizziness and headache;
• food allergies;
• discharge from the nose;
• diseases and infections of the reproductive system;
• brittle nails / hair;

Enterobiasis is a helminthiasis in which pinworms infect the body. The larvae hatch in 4-6 hours and mature after 2-4 weeks - grayish or white roundworms 5-10 mm long. They are located in the eyeball and appendix and lay their eggs outside the anus - at night, female pinworms fly into the air for this purpose. This mechanism of reproduction causes severe itching at night - so disturbed sleep, dizziness and vertigo, screaming.

Additional specific symptoms:

• no urination at night;
• grinding of teeth;

Ascariasis is a helminthiasis in which the body is colonized by roundworms. These worms are even more important - the average length of an adult is 25-30 cm Larvae and eggs enter the body with insufficiently disinfected fresh fruits and vegetables. The developmental cycle takes place in the intestines, then passes into the lymph and blood vessels, and through the blood and lymph flow is located throughout the body - in the liver, heart, lungs. They then enter the oral cavity and are reabsorbed. From this point on, the adult roundworms begin to develop. It takes about 3 months.

How to suspect the presence of worms in children:

• enlarged liver, spleen, lymph nodes;
• temperature rises, sometimes up to 38 degrees;
• weakness and weakness appear;
• develops respiratory pathologies - pneumonia, bronchitis and bronchial asthma;
• pressure drop;
• Symptoms appear in the gastrointestinal tract - constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, pain in the form of cramps;
• fear of light;
• nightmares;
• dry cough - sputum with orange color and bloody splashes.

Roundworms are more difficult to breed than pinworms because the female lays almost 250, 000 eggs every day. Under no circumstances should you rely on folk remedies or buy the first remedy available at the pharmacy - be sure to contact a specialist.

In children who are colonized in the body, these are not all worms. In general, there are more than 300 species of helminths in the world, and 70 of them are found only in our country. In addition to the two listed, 5 more species are widespread:

• trichocephalosis - is characterized by retardation in both physical and intellectual development, but is generally almost asymptomatic;
• opistorchiasis - fever, increased lymph nodes, skin rashes appear;
• hymenolepiasis - the main result is rhinitis;
• toxocariasis - has many symptoms that distinguish it from other helminthiases: keratitis, choking cough, ophthalmitis, chorioretinitis, swelling of the face;
• Wide tapeworm - is characterized by anemia, intestinal disorders, abdominal pain.

Babies, for example, may show symptoms after a few weeks of life if they receive eggs and worm larvae from their mothers at birth. As a rule, the symptomatology manifests itself in the form of weight loss, profuse salivation, rash, paleness, blue under the eyes and constipation. The child is constantly anxious, screams, sleeps and eats poorly. Screaming can be unbearable and the child will turn blue in the process.

Worms are often the cause of the development of pulmonary pathologies and are diagnosed using ultrasound or X-rays. Parasites, especially tapeworm echinococcus, not only damage the respiratory system, but can also spread to the brain and heart. Scars and adhesions appear in the areas of helminth development in the lungs, and the shape of the lungs begins to change. Such changes lead to a wide range of diseases - asthma, fibrosis, bronchitis, pleurisy, emphysema, etc. Echinococcosis occurs when the tapeworm enters the lungs and develops as a parasitic cyst.

Symptoms will largely depend on which helminth enters the body, but parents should be aware of the child's discomfort and the presence of the general symptoms listed above. If you have symptoms of worms, make an appointment with a pediatrician or gastroenterologist to get tested in time.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis of worms in children is made in different ways - depending on which worms the child is infected with, the environment, the location of the eggs and the toxins found in the body.

For diagnosis can be appointed:

• blood test - shows anemia, hemoglobin and eosinophil levels;
• analysis for parasites - in 99% of cases helps to detect helminthiasis, and in most cases - helps to accurately determine the type (biomaterial for research - blood from a vein);
• Examination of feces - there may be no eggs in the feces, even if there is an infection, it is necessary to make this diagnosis 3 times to make sure that there are worms, which takes time;
• smear - especially effective for pinworms infection, because their eggs are located outside the anus;
• analysis of feces for dysbiosis;
• If there is a suspicion of infection not only of the gastrointestinal tract, but also internal organs - CT, X-ray, ultrasound.

Diagnosis allows you to accurately determine the type of parasite and prescribe specific treatment. The doctor prescribes medication, diet, additional auxiliary procedures, gives advice on care and hygiene.

In some cases, parents pay more attention to helminthiasis and are constantly worried about their child's infection. This leads to regular "prophylactic" courses of serious anthelmintic drugs that do no good to the baby's body. If the child does not lose weight, feels well, eats well, has a healthy complexion, no itching in the anus, he is probably healthy. If you want to be sure of that, it is better to take an exam than to take an unnecessary course.

Treatment

The course of therapy for worms in children consists of several stages - preparation, therapy and cleansing. Restorative prophylaxis and careful hygiene should be followed throughout the treatment to prevent re-infection or infection of one of the family members. Some types of worms, such as tapeworm or echinococcus, can only be removed surgically.

The preparation phase involves the administration of sorbents that absorb toxins and cleanse the body. They are followed by antihistamines, relieve general itching and prevent the development of allergic reactions to drugs.

In the main stage, the treatment of helminthiasis in children is the administration of anthelmintic drugs in the form of tablets, suppositories or suspensions. Drugs are selected according to the type of helminths, individual indications and contraindications. Some anthelmintics work in 2 stages:

• the first course kills already developed individuals;
• the second course helps to cope with larvae and eggs (appointed 2 weeks after the first course).

The cleanser is designed to cleanse the body of dead parasites, at which stage sorbents, enemas, choleretic drugs are used. You can help your baby by adding raw carrots, dairy products, wholemeal bread, fruits, vegetables, fish oil, nuts, especially walnuts and peanuts to your diet.

In addition, vitamin complexes, iron, minerals, a special diet can be used to restore the body in case of severe lesions, which will increase hemoglobin, restore liver function and strengthen the body as a whole. The doctor describes in detail the treatment plan to prevent side effects. Control tests are mandatory. It is inadmissible to treat oneself and go beyond the plan.

Consequences of untreated parasitic infections

Helminthiasis is fraught with serious danger, without treatment everything can end in death or serious health problems. An infected child poses a threat to the whole family and the environment, because it is the spread of the disease.

Complications of worms in children:

• inflammatory exacerbation of appendicitis;
• epileptic seizures;
• several types of visual impairment;
• allergic reactions with profuse nasal discharge;
• lagging behind peers in development;
• genital infections, the most common in girls - vulvovaginitis;
• various types of pulmonary manifestations, from bronchial asthma;
• in severe cases - brain and heart damage.

Prophylaxis

In order to avoid the need for treatment of worms in children in general, it is necessary to actively engage in prevention, which includes both daily activities, hygiene procedures and medication.

How to protect your baby from a parasitic infection:

• follow hygiene - wash the child's hands regularly, rinse;
• take care of toys regularly - washing and cleaning (all toys should be disinfected after diagnosis);
• trim nails as often as possible, clean every day;
• ironing of laundry after washing;
• Get rid of bad habits - sucking fingers, pens, biting nails;
• give only boiled water to drink and explain the reasons;
• avoid swimming in natural reservoirs;
• use repellents (insects often carry worm eggs), destroy all insects that enter the house;
• check pets regularly for parasites;
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, provide adequate heat treatment of meat and fish.

Some types of helminthiasis are difficult to treat, so we recommend prevention to prevent infection. When contacting the clinic, parents will receive full advice on how to properly prevent prevention in the future.