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, they are most often found in the body of young children, interacting with the external environment in ways that are no longer hygienic. Worms interfere with the assimilation of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, as they borrow them for their life, and intoxication from the products they release damages the liver, gastrointestinal tract and, in difficult cases, without timely intervention - muscles , lungs, eyes, brain.

Ways of worm infection:

• contact with earth and water, which contain parasite eggs (sand and puddle are no exception);
• the use of products that have not undergone adequate processing: vegetable foods, meat, fish may contain worm eggs;
• neglect of hygiene;
• transmission of worms from mother to child during childbirth;
• regular contact with animals, especially street animals, or those who go out;
• visit a room with insects;
• contact with already infected children;
• low immunity;
• moving to another country, associated with body stress and incomplete acclimatization.

Based on the causes of the disease, it is not difficult to develop a system of minimal prevention: to teach the child to wash his hands regularly, to feed him only properly processed foods and to ensure health control in the home. However, no one has canceled contact with the street animals and by licking the swing, the result is intestinal damage from parasites. Not all helminths immediately manifest themselves actively - they can be in the body in "dormant" mode for years, so regular checkups, especially for children, are extremely important.

Classification of parasites

Different types of worms do not affect the body in the same way and have their own characteristics both in the development cycle and in appearance and damage. There are three most common groups of worms: roundworms, cestodoses, flukes.

The first group consists of the primary cavity worms. They live in soil and water, so it is easy to get infected with them in the sandbox and in general during a walk. This group includes the most common pinworms and roundworms, and this also includes hookworms, trichinella, rishta. Depending on which parasite caused the infection, ascariasis, enterobiasis, trichocephalosis, etc. are isolated.

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

And the last of the three popular groups are the tremors caused by flukes. These are different types of flatworms: schistosome, feline / hepatic fluke, leukochloridium. They cause optorchiasis (transmitted with fish of the cyprinid family) and fascioliasis (suffer from the liver and biliary tract, infection through plants or with water).

Symptoms

There are a lot of symptoms, and private manifestations depend on which eggs of which helminths got into the body. Next, we will talk about the common symptoms for all parasitic infections, then enterobiasis, ascariasis and 5 other types of infections.

Common symptoms:

• increased irritability, restless sleep, decreased persistence and attention, frequent outbursts 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 allergy;
• flow from the nose;
• diseases and infections of the reproductive system;
• brittle nails / hair;

Enterobiasis is helminthiasis, in which pinworms infect the body. The larvae emerge from the eggs within 4-6 hours, in 2-4 weeks they become adults - grayish or white nematodes 5-10 mm long. They settle in the cecum and appendix and lay eggs outside the anus - at night, pinworm females come out into the air for this purpose. This reproductive mechanism leads to severe itching at night - then restless sleep, tossing and turning, screaming.

Additional special symptoms:

• urination at night;
• grinding your teeth;

Ascariasis is helminthiasis, in which the body is colonized by nematodes. These worms are already more significant: the average length of an adult is 25-30 cm. The larvae and eggs enter the body with insufficiently disinfected fresh fruits and vegetables. The period of development occurs in the intestine, after which they pass into the lymphatic and blood vessels, and with the flow of blood and lymph are deposited throughout the body - in the liver, heart, lungs. Then they enter the oral cavity and are swallowed again. From this moment the adult nematodes begin to develop. This takes about 3 months.

How to suspect the presence of worms in children:

• the liver, spleen, lymph nodes are enlarged;
• the temperature rises, sometimes up to 38 degrees;
• malaise and weakness appear;
• respiratory pathologies develop - pneumonia, bronchitis and bronchial asthma;
• pressure drops;
• symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract appear: constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, pain in the form of contractions;
• fear of light;
• nightmares;
• dry cough - phlegm with an orange tinge and splashes of blood.

Breeding roundworms is more difficult than pinworms, as the female lays nearly 250, 000 eggs every day. In no case should you rely on folk methods or buy the first remedy available at the pharmacy - be sure to contact a specialist.

These are not all worms in children that are colonized in the body. In total, there are more than 300 types of helminths in the world, and 70 of them are found only in our country. In addition to the two types listed, 5 other types are spreading:

• trichocephalosis - characterized by a delay in both physical and intellectual development, but in general it is almost asymptomatic;
• opisthorchiasis - the temperature rises, the nodes of the lymphatic system increase, skin rashes appear;
• hymenolepiasis - the main consequence is rhinitis;
• toxocariasis - has many symptoms that distinguish it from other helminthiases: keratitis, suffocating cough, ophthalmitis, chorioretinitis, swelling of the face;
• large tapeworm - characterized by anemia, intestinal disorders, pain in the abdomen.

Babies may show symptoms after a few weeks of life if they receive eggs and worm larvae from their mother, for example during childbirth. As a rule, the symptomatology manifests itself in the form of lack of weight gain, profuse salivation, rash, pallor, blue under the eyes and constipation. The child is constantly worried, screams, sleeps and eats poorly. The screaming can be unbearable and the baby will turn blue in the process.

Worms are often the cause of lung disease development and are diagnosed by ultrasound or X-rays. Parasites, especially tapeworm, can damage not only the respiratory system, but also travel further to the brain and heart. In the areas of development of helminths in the lungs, scars, adhesions appear, the shape of the lungs begins to change. Such changes provoke a wide range of diseases: asthma, fibrosis, bronchitis, pleurisy, emphysema, etc. When the tapeworm enters the lungs, echinococcosis is formed, when the parasite develops in the form of a cyst.

Symptoms will largely depend on which helminth entered the body, but the child's concern and the presence of the above general symptoms should alert parents. If you have signs of worms, make an appointment with your pediatrician or gastroenterologist to get tested in a timely manner.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of worms in children is carried out in different ways: depending on which worms the child is infected, the habitat, the location of the eggs and the toxins present in the body will be different.

For the diagnosis can be assigned:

• blood test - shows the levels of anemia, hemoglobin and eosinophils;
• parasite analysis - in 99% of cases it helps to detect helminthiasis and, in most cases, to accurately determine the type (biomaterial for research - blood from a vein);
• stool examination - there may be no eggs in the stool, even if there is an infection, to be sure of the presence of worms, this diagnosis should be done 3 times, which takes time;
• smear - especially effective for pinworm infection, as their eggs are located just outside the anus;
• stool analysis for dysbiosis;
• if there is a suspicion of infection of the internal organs, and not just the gastrointestinal tract - CT, X-rays, ultrasound.

Diagnostics allows you to accurately identify the type of parasite and prescribe a specific treatment. The doctor prescribes medications, diet, additional supportive procedures, gives recommendations 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 "preventive" courses of severe anthelmintic drugs, which do not bring any benefit to the child's body. If the baby does not lose weight, feels good, eats well, has a healthy complexion and does not have an itchy anus, he is most likely healthy. If you want to be convinced, it is better to take a test rather than take an unnecessary course.

Treatment

The course of therapy for worms in children includes several stages: preparation, therapy and cleaning. During the entire treatment, it is necessary to carry out restorative prophylaxis and carefully observe hygiene in order to avoid a new infection or infection of one of the family members. Some types of worms, such as tapeworms or echinococcus, can only be removed surgically.

The preparatory phase involves taking 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.

Treatment of helminthiasis in children in the main stage consists in the direct intake of anthelmintic drugs in the form of tablets, suppositories or suspensions. Drugs are selected based on the type of helminth, 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).

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

In addition, vitamin complexes, iron, minerals, a special diet can be used to restore the body in case of severe injuries, which will increase hemoglobin, restore liver function and strengthen the body as a whole. The doctor describes the treatment plan in detail, avoiding the occurrence of side effects. Control tests are mandatory. Self-medication and deviation from the plan are not allowed.

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 is a danger to the whole family and the environment, as it is the spread of the disease.

Complications of worms in babies:

• inflammatory exacerbation of appendicitis;
• Seizures;
• visual impairment of different types;
• allergic reactions with profuse nasal discharge;
• lagging behind peers in development;
• genital infections, more common in girls - vulvovaginitis;
• various types of pulmonary manifestations, up to bronchial asthma;
• in difficult cases - brain and heart damage.

Prophylaxis

In order for the treatment of worms in children to not be required at all, it is necessary to actively engage in prevention, which consists both in daily precautions and hygiene procedures, and in taking medications.

How to protect your baby from parasitic infection:

• observe hygiene: regularly wash the hands of the child, wash him;
• regular care of toys - washing and cleaning (after making the diagnosis, all toys must be disinfected);
• cut nails as often as possible, clean every day;
• iron the laundry after washing;
• get rid of bad habits: sucking fingers, feathers, 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;
• regularly check pets for parasites;
• wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, carry out sufficient heat treatment of meat and fish.

Some types of helminthiasis are difficult to cure, so we recommend prophylaxis to avoid infection. When contacting the clinic, parents will receive comprehensive advice on how to properly carry out prevention in order to avoid problems in the future.