Anyone can be infected with the parasite, and babies are especially affected, and in 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 diseases such 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 in the human body can live about 200 species. 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 him, so he is constantly in danger.
The most common types of worms in children are nematodes or roundworms. This includes:
- Dirty wormcause ascariasis. The helminths are large and can reach a length of up to 40 cm. They parasitize in the gastrointestinal tract and small intestine.
- Pinwormscause enterobiosis. The worms are small (less than 1 cm long) and whitish-yellow in color. Such helminths live in children in the cecum or small intestine. Their life cycle is up to 4 weeks.
- Cestodoses- These are tapeworms that parasitize the intestines and various organs. Helminths cause diseases such as teniosis, echinococcosis, hymenolepiasis, teniarinhosis and difilobotriosis.
- Trematodosesare flatworms or trematodes. These include feline flu, paradoxical leukochloridium, and schistosomiasis. Parasites cause diseases such as fascioliasis and opisthorchiasis.
Ways of worm infection
According to official medical statistics, worms occur in 80% of children under the age of 2 and in preschoolers who attend educational institutions. These official figures were registered in those babies who underwent laboratory tests. Helminths use a variety 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 a child has worms?
To answer the question of what worms are in children (symptoms and treatment are determined by the type of helminth), you need to know how the infection came about and which internal organ the parasites got into. Very often they do not manifest in any way, and the disease proceeds in a latent form, so the doctor can not always determine their presence. Helminths live in the human body for years and even decades, adapting to the most adverse conditions.
Common signs of worms in children may include:
- nausea in the morning;
- anal itching;
- headaches;
- bruxism - is the gnashing of teeth in sleep;
- copious salivation at night;
- dizziness;
- nasal polyps;
- inflammation of the genital organs;
- recurrent pain around the navel;
- sheep stool, diarrhea or constipation;
- loss of appetite;
- pale skin.
If you find more than five of these symptoms in your child, then 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 the parasite, the signs can change. When worms are suspected in children, symptoms may also appear in external signs:
- "chickens" (rash) on the thighs or forearms;
- bruises and circles under the eyes;
- early caries;
- lack of body weight;
- brittle nails and hair;
- growth disorder;
- allergic reactions.
Worms in children can affect the nervous system:
- babies become irritable;
- concentration of attention decreases;
- persistence 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 baby feces. The parasites leave the body in clots, which contain only a few individuals. If you see foreign inclusions, then it is better to contact an expert and take tests to rule out the presence of parasites.
Worm tests in children
When parents suspect worms in children, the symptoms and treatment depend on the stage of the disease. To determine the diagnosis, it is necessary 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 identify the type of worm and its presence, for which the child takes blood from a vein on an empty stomach;
- blood test for helminths in a child - the main indicators are: the number of eosinophils, the presence of anemia and color indicator;
- scraping, swab on enterobiosis - taken from the anus;
- general analysis of feces for eggs and dysbacteriosis is carried out in 3 stages, because some species of worms do not lay eggs regularly;
- computed tomography, radiography or ultrasound examination - are performed to detect the presence of worms in the human body.
A child has worms - what to do?
After confirming the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes treatment of worms in children, medications should be strictly agreed with the doctor), talks about folk methods and products to be used for rapid recovery. Parents should know that it is impossible to give medication to the baby on their own, because that 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 several stages of therapy. These include:
- body preparation - in this case sorbents and antihistamines are prescribed;
- anthelmintic therapy - traditional medicines for parasites, which can be in the form of tablets, suppositories or suspensions;
- cleansing the body - 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. The child must adhere to a special diet at all times. After the first course of therapy, the child is examined and tested again. If they show the presence of parasites in the body again, then the drugs are prescribed again.
Worm tablets for children
There are currently several medications that help get rid of worms. They are available in tablets and are intended for babies. Consult a specialist before use.
Worm suspension for children
If your child is still young and does not know how to take tablets, 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 healing. Worm medicine for children should be taken carefully and only with a doctor's permission. 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 can be given for prevention in order to create a special microflora in which helminths simply cannot exist.
To avoid becoming infected with parasites, you must:
- Follow the rules of personal hygiene.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet and walking.
- Fighting flies.
- Keep pacifiers and toys clean.
- Ironing clothes and bedding.
- Handle food carefully.
Depending on the age of the baby, there is a difference in the prevention of worms in children, the drugs are started only from 6 months.