Worms in children

Helminths or worms are parasites that feed on the host's body and secrete toxins that affect internal organs and systems.The most common groups are pinworms and roundworms;They are most often found in the bodies of young children who interact with the external environment in a not particularly hygienic way.Worms interfere with the absorption of nutrients, minerals and vitamins, as they borrow them for their vital functions, and poisoning by the products they secrete damages the liver, gastrointestinal tract and, in complex cases, without timely intervention, muscles, lungs, eyes and brain.

Ways of infection with worms:

• Contact with soil and water containing parasite eggs (sandbox and puddle are no exception);
• Eating foods that have not been properly processed – plant foods, meat, fish may contain worm eggs;
• neglect of hygiene;
• Transmission of worms from mother to child during birth;
• regular contact with animals, especially those that live on the streets or travel outside;
• visit a room with insects;
• contacts with children who have already been infected;
• low immunity;
• Moving to another country involves physical stress and incomplete acclimatization.

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

Classification of parasites

Different types of worms affect the body differently and have their own characteristics both in the development cycle and in the appearance and damage caused.There are three most common groups of worms: nematodes, cestodes and trematodes.

The first group are the protocavitary worms.They live in soil and water and can therefore easily become infected in the sandbox and on a walk in general.This group includes the most common pinworms and roundworms, but also hookworms, trichinella and guinea worms.Depending on which parasite caused the infection, ascariasis, enterobiasis, trichuriasis, etc. are distinguished.

Zestodoses are tapeworms that can live both in the intestine (the most common variant is tapeworms) and in organs (the larvae of tapeworms, echinococci and alveococci usually live there).Depending on which of these types of worms are found in children, echinococcosis, taeniasis, hymenolepiasis, etc. are distinguished.

And the last of the three popular groups is trematoses, which are caused by trematodes.These are different types of flatworms: schistosome, cat/liver fluke, leucochloridium.They provoke opisthorchiasis (transmitted by fish of the carp family) and fascioliasis (suffering from the liver and biliary system, infection through plants or water).

Symptoms

There are many symptoms and individual manifestations depend on which worm eggs have entered the body.Next we will talk about the general symptoms of all parasitic infections and then about enterobiasis, ascariasis and five other types of infections.

General symptoms:

• increased irritability, restless sleep, reduced stamina and attention, frequent hysteria and anger;
• increased appetite associated with active weight loss;
• Symptoms of the digestive system – diarrhea, constipation, nausea, pain in the right hypochondrium;
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• dizziness and headaches;
• food allergies;
• nasal discharge;
• diseases and infections of the reproductive system;
• brittle nails/hair;
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Enterobiasis is a helminthiasis in which the body becomes infected with pinworms.The larvae hatch from the eggs within 4-6 hours;In 2-4 weeks they become adult worms - grayish or white roundworms 5-10 mm long.They settle in the appendix and appendix and lay their eggs outside the anus - at night, female pinworms come into the air for this purpose.This reproductive mechanism causes severe itching at night - hence restless sleep, tossing and turning and screaming.

Other special symptoms:

• nighttime urination;
• grinding of teeth;
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Ascariasis is a helminthiasis in which the body is colonized by roundworms.These worms are already larger - the average length of an adult is 25-30 cm.The larvae and eggs enter the body through inadequately disinfected fresh fruits and vegetables.The development phase takes place in the intestine, after which they enter the lymph and blood vessels and are distributed throughout the body with the blood and lymph flow - in the liver, heart, lungs.They then enter the oral cavity and are swallowed again.From this moment on, adult roundworms begin to develop.This takes about 3 months.

How to suspect the presence of worms in children:

• Liver, spleen and lymph nodes enlarge;
• the temperature rises, sometimes up to 38 degrees;
• malaise and weakness appear;
• respiratory diseases develop - pneumonia, bronchitis and bronchial asthma;
• pressure drops;
• Gastrointestinal symptoms appear – constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, pain in the form of contractions;
• fear of light;
• nightmares at night;
• dry cough – sputum with an orange tint and bloody spots.

Roundworms are more difficult to breed than pinworms because the female lays nearly 250,000 eggs per day.Under no circumstances should you rely on traditional methods or buy the first remedy you see at the pharmacy - be sure to contact a specialist.

Children are not just worms that inhabit the body.There are more than 300 species of helminths in the world, 70 of them are found in our country alone.In addition to the two listed types, 5 other types are widespread:

• Trichocephalosis – characterized by a delay in both physical and mental development, but is generally almost asymptomatic;
• Opisthorchiasis – the temperature rises, the nodes of the lymphatic system enlarge, rashes appear;
• Hymenolepiasis – the main consequence is rhinitis;
• Toxocariosis – has many symptoms that distinguish it from other helminthic infections: keratitis, choking cough, ophthalmitis, chorioretinitis, facial swelling;
• broad tapeworm - characterized by anemia, intestinal disorders, abdominal pain.

Infants can experience symptoms after just a few weeks of life if, for example, they received eggs and worm larvae from their mother during birth.Typically, symptoms include lack of weight gain, excessive salivation, rash, paleness, blue under the eyes, and constipation.The child is constantly worried, screams, sleeps and eats poorly.The crying can be unbearable and the baby turns blue.

Worms are often the cause of the development of lung diseases and are diagnosed using ultrasound or X-rays.Parasites, particularly the Echinococcus tapeworm, can not only damage the respiratory tract but also penetrate further into the brain and heart.In areas where helminths develop in the lungs, scars and adhesions appear and the shape of the lungs begins to change.Such changes provoke a variety of diseases - asthma, fibrosis, bronchitis, pleurisy, emphysema, etc. When a tapeworm enters the lungs, echinococcosis occurs when the parasite develops in the form of a cyst.

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

diagnosis

The diagnosis of worms in children is carried out in different ways - depending on which worms the child is infected with, the habitat, the location of the eggs and the toxins present in the body differ.

To make a diagnosis, the following may be prescribed:

• Blood test – shows anemia, hemoglobin and eosinophil levels;
• Analysis for parasites – in 99% of cases it helps to detect helminthiasis, and in most cases it helps to accurately determine the type (biomaterial for research purposes – blood from a vein);
• Examination of the stool - there should be no eggs in the stool, even if there is an infection.To ensure the presence of worms, this diagnosis should be carried out three times, which takes time;
• Swab – particularly 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 internal organs and not only the gastrointestinal tract - CT, X-ray, ultrasound.

Diagnostics allows you to accurately identify the type of parasite and prescribe specific treatment.The doctor prescribes medication, diet, additional supportive measures and gives recommendations on care and hygiene.

In some cases, parents pay increased attention to helminthiasis and are constantly afraid of infecting their child.This leads to regular “preventive” courses of serious anthelmintics that do not bring any benefit to the baby's body.If your child isn't losing weight, feels good, is eating well, has a healthy complexion, and doesn't have anal itching, he or she is probably healthy.If you want to make sure of this, it is better to get tested than to take an unnecessary course.

Treatment

The course of therapy against worms in children includes several stages - preparation, therapy and cleaning.Throughout treatment, it is necessary to carry out general preventive measures and pay careful attention to hygiene to avoid re-infection or infection of a family member.Some types of worms, such as tapeworms and echinococci, can only be removed surgically.

At the preparatory stage, sorbents are taken that absorb toxins and cleanse the body.They are followed by antihistamines, they relieve general itching and prevent the development of allergic reactions to medications.

Treatment of helminthiasis in children in the main stage consists in direct intake of anthelmintics in the form of tablets, suppositories or suspensions.Medicines are selected depending on the type of helminth, individual indications and contraindications.Some anthelmintics work in 2 doses:

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

Cleansing serves to rid the body of the remains of dead parasites;At this stage, sorbents, enemas and 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, to restore the body in case of severe damage, vitamin complexes, iron, minerals and a special diet can be used, which increase hemoglobin, restore liver function and strengthen the entire body.The doctor describes the treatment plan in detail and avoids side effects.Control tests are required.Self-medication and deviations from the plan are not permitted.

Consequences of an untreated parasite infestation

Helminthiasis poses a serious threat;Without treatment, death or significant health problems can occur.An infected child poses a danger to the entire family and the environment by spreading the disease.

Complications of worms in children:

• inflammatory exacerbation of appendicitis;
• epileptic seizures;
• visual impairment of various kinds;
• allergic reactions with profuse nasal discharge;
• developmental lag compared to peers;
• sexually transmitted infections, most common in girls is vulvovaginitis;
• various types of pulmonary manifestations, including bronchial asthma;
• in difficult cases - damage to the brain and heart.

Prevention

To ensure that treatment of worms in children is not necessary at all, active prevention is necessary, which consists of both daily precautions and hygiene measures, as well as taking medications.

How to protect your baby from a parasite infection:

• Pay attention to hygiene - wash your child's hands and bathe him regularly;
• Care for toys regularly – wash and clean (after diagnosis, all toys must be disinfected);
• Trim your nails as often as possible and clean them every day.
• Iron clothes after washing;
• get rid of bad habits – finger sucking, pen sucking, nail biting;
• Only give boiled water to drink and explain the reasons why.
• Avoid swimming in natural waters.
• Use repellents (insects often carry worm eggs) and destroy any insects that enter the home.
• Check pets regularly for parasites.
• Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly and heat meat and fish sufficiently.

Some types of helminthiasis are difficult to cure, so we recommend preventive measures to avoid infection.When contacting the clinic, parents will receive comprehensive advice on proper prevention to avoid future problems.