Helminths or worms is the general name for parasitic worms that live in the human body. Most of them live in the intestinal tract, however, some of them go beyond it. Children are especially vulnerable to worm infections. Due to not strong enough immunity, which is not able to kill the parasite, and the long latent period of infection, worms can cause serious harm to children. This is mainly due to severe intoxication, allergic reactions and, in certain cases, organ damage.
In this material we will look at the main causes of helminth infections, their types, as well as methods of treating them. This applies to both traditional and traditional medicine.
Cause of infection
First of all, it should be noted that protecting children from worm infections seems to be an almost impossible task. This applies to geohelminthiasis and is due to their method of infection. However, there are other types of worms, with different infection mechanisms. We will discuss geohelminthiases and other types of worms in more detail below.
Worms developin soil and water, after which they enter the human body and lay eggs there. Then, along with feces, they return to the soil or water and the cycle repeats. When eating dirty fruits and vegetables, there is a very real chance of contracting a geohelminthic infection. Infection can also occur through dirty hands or through the skin of the feet.
Infection throughcontact with animals- not a myth. When contacting, playing and joint activities with infected animals, there is a non-illusory chance of getting infected with worms. Their eggs land on skin or clothing, where they continue to mature and sooner or later can enter the body.
Infection with biohelminthoses occurs due toconsume less processed meat and fish products.Particularly dangerous are undercooked kebabs, undersalted lard, sushi, unprocessed milk and insufficiently preserved fish. In addition to worms, when consuming this product, there is also a chance of getting an intestinal infection.
Infectionthrough insect bites- occurs quite rarely, because in most cases insects place their larvae under the victim's skin. However, some types of worms are spread by insects.
With a strong immune system, worm infections are less likely. Moreover, over time, a person simply develops resistance to worms in his area. They do not have time to hatch or die immediately after hatching. However, when moving to a new area or when the immune system is weak, protection against worms becomes weak.
Types of worms
There are about 300 species of worms, but 70 species are common. These types can be divided into three broad categories:
- Nematodes or roundworms.Often, children are infected with this type of worm. These species include pinworms, whipworms, trichinella and roundworms.
- Tapeworms or cestodes.Infection with this species occurs through poorly processed meat. These species include tapeworms, tapeworms and echinococci.
- Trematodes or fluke parasites.Most often, worms of this species cause opisthorchiasis, fascioliasis, schistosomiasis, and paragonimiasis.
In most cases, the worm is parasitic in the intestine, however, its eggs, along with the bloodstream, can spread throughout the body. As a result, worms can begin to multiply in the liver, gall bladder, muscle tissue, lungs and even in the brain.
symptoms
Since worms are parasitic organisms, infection with them does not appear immediately. After all, the parasite's goal is to avoid the host's attention as long as possible. That is why symptoms appear either in the case of multiple infections or after a long latent period.
Usually, the first symptoms appear only 2-4 weeks after the worm eggs enter the body. All symptoms are usually caused by helminthiasis waste product poisoning. In certain cases, i. e. when the child's immunity is reduced, infection with helminthiases may appear earlier.
Betweenmain signs of worms in childrencan be distinguished:
- Increase appetite without weight gain;
- Increased salivation;
- Painful sensations in the stomach, nausea and unstable stools;
- Dizziness and headache;
- The appearance of allergic reactions;
- Sleep disturbances, worse sleep and increased irritability;
- Increased hair loss and nail splitting;
- Frequent inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx and genitourinary tract.
With prolonged infection, developmental delay, dysfunction of internal organs, and neurological abnormalities are observed.
It is important to note that a strange smell from the child's mouth, stomach aches, frequent hiccups and grinding of teeth at night do not at all indicate a worm infection. This symptom is just a myth.
Diagnostic features
Given the wide range of symptoms of infection with this parasite, making an accurate diagnosis is not the easiest task. First of all, you have to dostool analysisfor the presence of parasitic nests. However, this is not the most reliable method. The problem is that in certain cases, in the body of the carrier there may be several individuals of the same sex who are not capable of reproduction. In addition, some species spawn very rarely, which makes it difficult to make a clear diagnosis. That is why the stool test for worms is performed three times at intervals of several days, because it is necessary to capture the exact moment of parasite reproduction.
Infection with parasites may also be indicated by high levels of eosinophils in combination with low hemoglobin withgeneral blood test.For diagnosis, scraping for enterobiasis and examination of the abdominal cavity with ultrasound or X-ray are also used. To clarify the diagnosis, the doctor may use the biological analysis of urine and feces, as well as immunological studies.
Once the exact type of parasite is determined, as well as the level of damage caused to the body, treatment can begin.
Methods of treating worms in children
The main method of treating helminths, of course, is medication. However, in certain cases, the use of traditional medicine is also allowed. It is important to remember that in most cases, folk remedies are not strong enough to cope with moderate, let alone severe, infections. They should be used as an aid. Naturally, traditional medicine also has some limitations. This and other ways will be discussed in more detail below.
Medicines
Drug treatment for helminth infections aims to destroy the worms and reduce the level of toxins released by them. When treating worms, especially in children, it is highly undesirable to use broad-spectrum drugs. The fact is that they have a very strong effect and their use, even with the correct dosage, can lead to serious problems. Moreover, the wrong medicine can cause more harm than the parasite itself. That is why it is important to make an accurate diagnosis and determine the type of parasite the child is infected with.
To remove toxins, vitamin complexes containing vitamins B and C, glucose solutions and infusions of saline solutions are used. In certain cases, antihistamines and diuretics are also used. And if the heart and liver are damaged, hormone therapy may be necessary. To enhance the effect, enzyme preparations that improve digestion are often used, as well as enterosorbents that remove parasitic waste from the body.
Do folk remedies help?
In general, doctors do not recommend using folk remedies to treat worms. This is mainly due to the fact that the power of folk remedies is often not enough to completely destroy the parasite. However, despite the fact that folk remedies cannot be an alternative to traditional means, this does not mean that they cannot be used. On the contrary, they will be an excellent addition to drug treatment. Among the most effective and safe folk remedies are the following.
Vegetable oilis an effective method to combat almost all types of helminths. The most effective are apricot, cedar and sea buckthorn oils; however, a safer option for children is hemp or hemp oil. Oil should be consumed in pure form, one teaspoon three times a day before meals. If your child refuses to eat it, add it to porridge or dip bread in butter. The course of treatment with oil is one week, after which you need to rest for two weeks.
Another effective treatment for helminths ispumpkin seeds. This is mainly due to the presence of cucurbitin in it, a rare amino acid that kills worms. Pumpkin seeds can be eaten either raw or made into milk. In their raw form, they are consumed in 120 grams for children aged three to seven years, 200 for children aged seven to eleven years, and 300 grams for children under the age of thirteen. Milk from seeds can be prepared by passing 200 grams of seeds through a meat grinder, pour two glasses of boiling water over them and put the drink for a quarter of an hour in a water bath. Next, we filter the broth and feed the child throughout the day, before eating.
garlicIt is also a common remedy for helminthiasis. It is often used to prevent infection by parasites, and also as an adjuvant for enterobiasis and ascariasis. It is used as follows: finely chop two cloves of garlic and pour a glass of milk over it. The resulting drink is consumed twice a day, a quarter of a glass, for four days.
For treatment purposes, medicines are often usedenemawith herbal decoction. This is done to remove the parasite from the intestinal lumen. Decoctions of wormwood, chamomile and other herbs are suitable for this purpose. You can also use a milk-garlic enema, the recipe of which is given above. When using an enema, it is important that the temperature is not lower than room temperature, and that the volume does not exceed 100 milliliters. It is also important to increase the amount of fluid consumed in the form of mineral water or fruit juice.
Barrier methodOften used for helminthiasis caused by pinworms. The essence is to block the lumen of the large intestine using a special tampon moistened with vegetable oil or Vaseline. This is done so that adult worms do not migrate to the surface of the anus and continue to multiply. The child's anal canal is blocked with a tampon for a month. It is important to note that this method is not effective for extraintestinal forms of helminthiasis, or in severe cases of enterobiasis.
Before using any of the above methods, you should always consult and get the approval of your pediatrician.
In addition to the means directly aimed at combating parasites, additional means can also be used. Any recipe that helps improve digestion and remove toxins from the body will be successful. Ingredients high in vitamins B and C are also beneficial. You should consult a doctor before using it.
Prevention of helminthiasis in children
As we already know, the majority of cases of worm infection occur through the mouth area. Therefore, the prevention of parasitic infections mainly includesmaintain personal hygiene rules. In addition, you should wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly before eating, and also make sure that fish, meat and dairy products have undergone sufficient heat treatment. If you have pets, preventive anthelmintic therapy should be carried out. And finally, you should keep your home clean.
In addition, there is an opinion that to prevent helminthiasis one should regularly take anthelmintic drugs. This opinion is very controversial in the medical field. Some doctors believe that the prophylactic use of such drugs does not guarantee re-infection and puts additional stress on the body. This group of doctors thinks that basic hygiene is enough to reduce the possibility of infection. The second group of doctors believes that it is impossible to do without the prophylactic use of such drugs, given the neglect of children's hygiene rules. The issue of prevention becomes more acute if the child is constantly in contact with animals that visit the street.
One way or another, only you can decide whether it is worth using anti-worm medication for prevention purposes. However, it is worth considering if:
- Are you planning a trip to southern countries;
- The child attends kindergarten;
- There are animals at home that visit the streets;
- Children play in the sandbox or have frequent contact with the ground;
- Children spend a lot of time in nature.