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, most common in the body of young children, interacting with the environment in not the most hygienic ways. Worms interfere with the absorption of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, as they take them for life, and intoxication from the products they excrete damages the liver, gastrointestinal tract, and in difficult cases without timely intervention - muscles, lungs, eyes, brain.

Ways of infecting with worms:

• contact with soil and water that contain eggs of parasites (sandstone and puddles are no exception);
• the use of products that have not undergone proper processing - 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 street animals or those that go outside;
• visiting an insect room;
• contact with already infected children;
• low immunity;
• relocation associated with 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 sanitary control in the house. However, no one cancels the contact with street animals and licking the swing, the result is damage to the intestines by parasites. Not all helminths are immediately active - they can be in the body in "sleep" mode for years, so regular check-ups, 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 - nematodes, cestodes, trematodes.

The first group are worms with a primary cavity. They live in soil and water, so it is easy to get infected with them in the sandstone and generally on a walk. This group includes the most common pinworms and roundworms, and this also includes hookworms, Trichinella, scab. Depending on which parasite caused the infection, ascariasis, enterobiosis, trichocephalus, etc. are isolated.

Cestodes are tapeworms that can live both in the gut (the most common variant is tapeworm) and in the organs (as a rule, tapeworm larvae, echinococci, alveococci live there). In accordance with which of these types of worms occurs in children, a distinction is made between echinococcosis, teniasis, hymenolepiasis and others.

And the last of the three popular groups are trematosis caused by trematodes. These are several types of flatworms - schistosomes, feline / liver flukes, leukochlorides. They provoke opisthorchiasis (transmitted by fish of the cyprinid family) and fascioliasis (diseases of the liver and biliary system, infection through plants or water).

Symptoms

There are many symptoms, and the private manifestations depend on which eggs from which helminths have entered the body. Then we will talk about the general symptoms of all parasitic infections, and then about enterobiosis, ascariasis and 5 other types of infections.

Common symptoms:

• increased irritability, restless sleep, decreased perseverance and attention, 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 allergy;
• runny nose;
• diseases and infections of the reproductive system;
• brittle nails / hair;

Enterobiasis is a 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 roundworms 5-10 mm long. They settle in the appendix and appendix and lay eggs outside the anus - at night the female spines go out into the air for this purpose. This mechanism of reproduction leads to severe itching at night - hence restless sleep, tossing and turning, screaming.

Additional special symptoms:

• nocturnal urination;
• grinding teeth;

Ascariasis is a helminthiasis in which the body is colonized by roundworms. These worms are already more significant - the average length of an adult is 25-30 cm. Larvae and eggs enter the body with insufficiently disinfected fresh fruits and vegetables. The period of development takes place in the intestines, after which they pass into the lymphatic and blood vessels, and with the influx of blood and lymph they settle throughout the body - in the liver, heart, lungs. They then enter the oral cavity and are swallowed again. From this point on, the adult roundworms begin to develop. This takes approximately 3 months.

How to suspect the presence of worms in children:

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

Reproduction of roundworms is more difficult than that of pinworms, as the female lays almost 250, 000 eggs every day. In any case, you should not rely on folk methods or buy the first available drug at the pharmacy - be sure to contact a specialist.

These are not all worms in children that colonize the body. In total, there are over 300 species of helminths in the world, and 70 of them are found in Bulgaria alone. In addition to the two types listed, 5 more species are becoming widespread:

• trichocephaly - characterized by retardation in both physical and intellectual development, but generally almost asymptomatic;
• opisthorchiasis - the temperature rises, the lymph nodes increase, skin rashes appear;
• hymenolepiasis - the main consequence is rhinitis;
• toxocariasis - there are many symptoms that distinguish it from other helminthiasis: keratitis, suffocating cough, ophthalmitis, chorioretinitis, facial swelling;
• broad tapeworm - characterized by anemia, intestinal disorders, abdominal pain.

Babies can show symptoms after a few weeks of life if they receive eggs and larvae of worms from their mother, for example during birth. As a rule, the symptoms manifest themselves in the form of lack of weight gain, 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 lung pathologies and are diagnosed with the help of ultrasound or X-ray. Parasites, especially tapeworm echinococcus, can damage not only the respiratory system but also move farther to the brain and heart. In the areas of development of helminths in the lungs appear scars, adhesions, the shape of the lungs begins to change. Such changes provoke a wide range of diseases - asthma, fibrosis, bronchitis, pleurisy, emphysema and others. When tapeworm enters the lungs, echinococcosis forms when the parasite develops in the form of a cyst.

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

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of worms in children is done in different ways - depending on which worms the child is infected with, the habitat, location of eggs and toxins found in the body will vary.

For the diagnosis can be appointed:

• blood test - shows anemia, hemoglobin levels and eosinophils;
• analysis for parasites - in 99% of cases it helps to detect helminthiasis, and in most cases - to accurately determine the type (biomaterial for testing - venous blood);
• 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 performed 3 times, which takes time;
• smear - especially effective in infection with pinworms, as their eggs are located just outside the anus;
• stool analysis for dysbiosis;
• if there is a suspicion of infection of internal organs, not just the gastrointestinal tract - CT, X-ray, ultrasound.

Diagnosis allows you to accurately identify the type of parasite and prescribe specific treatment. The doctor prescribes medication, diet, additional maintenance procedures, gives recommendations for care and hygiene.

In some cases, parents pay close attention to helminthiasis and are constantly worried about their child's infection. This leads to regular "preventive" courses of serious anthelmintic drugs that do not bring any benefit to the baby's body. If the child does not lose weight, feels well, eats well, has a healthy complexion and no itching in the anus, it is most likely healthy. If you want to be convinced of this, it is better to get tested than to take an unnecessary course.

Treatment

The course of treatment of worms in children includes several stages - preparation, therapy and cleansing. Throughout the treatment, it is necessary to carry out restorative prophylaxis and carefully observe hygiene to avoid 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 preparatory stage includes the intake of sorbents that absorb toxins and cleanse the body. They are followed by antihistamines, they relieve general itching and prevent the development of allergic reactions to drugs.

The treatment of helminthiasis in children in the main stage is the direct administration of anthelmintic drugs 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 steps:

• the first course kills already developed individuals;
• the second course helps to deal 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, wholemeal bread, fruits, vegetables, fish oil, nuts, especially nuts and peanuts to your diet.

In addition, vitamin complexes, iron, minerals, special diet can be used to restore the body in case of serious lesions, which will increase hemoglobin, restore liver function and strengthen the body as a whole. The doctor describes the treatment plan in detail, avoiding 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 it can end in death or significant health problems. An infected child poses a danger to the whole family and the environment because of the spread of the disease.

Complications of worms in children:

• inflammatory exacerbation of appendicitis;
• epileptic seizures;
• visual impairments of several types;
• allergic reactions with profuse runny nose;
• lagging behind in development;
• genital infections, most common in girls - vulvovaginitis;
• various types of pulmonary manifestations, up to bronchial asthma;
• in difficult cases - damage to the brain and heart.

Prevention

So the treatment of worms in children is not required at all, it is necessary to actively engage in prevention, which consists of both daily precautions and hygiene procedures, as well as taking medication.

How to protect your baby from a parasitic infection:

• observe hygiene - wash your child's hands regularly, bathe him;
• regularly take care of toys - washing and cleaning (after diagnosis all toys must be disinfected);
• cut your nails as often as possible, clean every day;
• ironing the laundry after washing;
• get rid of bad habits - sucking fingers, pens, biting nails;
• give to drink only boiled water and explain the reasons;
• avoid swimming in natural bodies of water;
• use repellents (insects often lay worm eggs), destroy all insects that enter the house;
• regularly check pets for parasites;
• wash fruits and vegetables well, perform sufficient heat treatment of meat and fish.

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