How to determine if children have worms: signs and symptoms

Caring parents watch for any changes in the child's body. And, in the presence of any deviations, they begin to look for the corresponding cause. Most often, parents are concerned about the question of how to determine whether children have worms, since, judging by statistics, at an early age the risk of their occurrence is very high. In this article, we will explain why parasites are more common in children than in adults, and how to determine them. Also consider treatment methods.

What parasites can inhabit the body?

Unfortunately, not all parasites that can be found in the human body have been studied. But still there are helminthic infestations that occur most often. Worms can be divided in appearance: round, flat and flukes. Further, they are already divided by species.

Common types:

1. Roundworm. Quite a dangerous kind of round worms. In adulthood, they can reach lengths of up to 35 cm. They can exist for a long time, more than one year, outside the host’s body. Once in the body, they penetrate the lungs through the lymphatic and circulatory system, and they ripen there. Then, with exhaled air, they enter the nasopharynx and, when swallowed, penetrate the intestines - their main habitat. They can also settle in other organs. But the intestines are their favorite place. With a large number of them or due to the fact that ascaris has reached large sizes, there may be a lack of feces. This is due to the fact that they block the exit to the anus, clog the passage.
2. Pinworms. The most common type of parasite in the human body. They are small in size (up to 5 mm. In length), in appearance - round. They live in the rectum and intestines. Propagate only at night, females laying eggs near the anus. And since the eggs are very small and light, they can easily end up on bedding and spread further around the apartment, thereby quickly infecting the whole family.
3. Giardia. These are unicellular microorganisms. They can be populated in any organ of the gastrointestinal tract (intestines, liver, gall bladder, and so on). They become a cause of disruption of the digestive organs and can cause an inflammatory process.
4. Whispers. A round worm capable of reaching a length of 4 cm. Once in the host’s body, it penetrates the intestines, where, using a sharp process resembling hair, it penetrates into a blood vessel and feeds on the host’s blood, thereby reducing the child’s immunity. Its presence in the body can cause inflammatory processes in the intestine.

Determining whether a child has worms by their presence in the feces is not always possible. Depending on the species, worms can be located in different organs, up to the brain. Therefore, mothers should also monitor the general condition of the child.

The relationship of worms and health problems

Most parents are interested in whether worms in children can cause serious illness and, if so, what is their danger? Having settled in the body of a child, the parasite begins to use all the beneficial substances that enter the body with food. Thus, the child begins to lose weight, his immunity is weakened, he often suffers from colds, which are difficult to treat. Such a baby is difficult to tolerate vaccination (with fever and complications). Even by these symptoms, you can determine whether the child has worms.

Worm products poison the children's body. Because of what, severe intoxication of the body can occur. This can be expressed by skin rashes and another type of allergic reaction.

The child begins to lag behind in growth and mental development. There are pathologies in the internal organs. It is especially dangerous if the worms settled in the lungs or in the brain. In this case, the consequences may be irreparable. Therefore, parents should know how to understand whether the child has worms and be prepared to consult a doctor at the slightest suspicion of their presence.

Worms can harm a child during pregnancy. They are able to penetrate the placenta and calmly parasitize on the organs of the developing fetus, thereby disrupting its development. Damage may result in death. From the mother’s body, the larvae are able to enter the baby’s body with breast milk. Therefore, even at this age, you need to check the child for the presence of worms, especially if they were detected in the mother.

Methods of parasite infection

Before you understand how eggs could enter the body, you need to determine whether the children have worms. Parents should be aware that not all parasites can be populated immediately. Much depends on the general condition of the child and his immunity. Worms can only survive in a weakened body.

If the child is completely healthy, then, having got into the oral cavity (for example, from dirty hands), the parasite will be exposed to saliva, which also serves as a kind of protection against infection. If the larva survives, then it will penetrate the stomach, where it can die under the influence of an aggressive environment. But if the parasite withstands this obstacle and penetrates the intestines, then immunity is included in the fight against it (antibodies are produced to combat the irritant).

For these reasons, most often parasites settle in the children's body. He does not yet have strong immunity. Yes, and getting into the body of a child is much easier than an adult. Parents from the birth of the baby should familiarize themselves in advance with information on how to find out if the child has worms.

Causes of the appearance of worms in children

There are several more reasons why worms are more common in babies:

• Children often pull dirty hands in their mouths, for example when their teeth itch. It is especially dangerous if the child does not wash his hands after the sandbox, as this place is favored by cats as a toilet. So, it has enough worm eggs.
• Children just love to bother with pets. And they are the first sources of infection. Even if the cat or dog is completely domestic, this will not prevent them from being sources of the disease. They can catch worms when eating raw meat, while licking their paws from the dirt that the owners brought on their feet from the street, and in many other ways. Therefore, if there is an animal in the house, then parents should know how to determine whether children have worms.
• Not all children wash fruits. And sometimes it may be that the fruit is clean and the hands are washed, but the child eats, for example, an apple for too long, and at that time a fly has already managed to sit on it, on the legs of which there may be worm eggs.
• When swimming in a pond, on a river or in a pool at a summer cottage, children often choke water, in which there may be parasite eggs.
• Incomplete disinfection in an apartment after treatment of a patient with worms is dangerous. Eggs can safely re-enter the body.
• Children often think that their neighbor’s food tastes better, and they can take turns sucking two different lollipops.
• They more than adults love to hug and kiss each other, share toys.
• Insects bite them more often than adults: it has been proven that mosquitoes can also spread worm eggs.
• Also, children, because of their cute appearance, adults like to kiss, and they can be a source of the disease.
• Due to the fact that children have weak immunity, they often have a cold, and this, in addition, further weakens the immune system and facilitates the access of worms to the body.
• The fault may be improper handling or cooking. This is especially true for meat and fruits.

Therefore, it is extremely important after walking, with different contacts, to know how to check whether the child has worms in order to start treating the disease in time and to prevent the development of complications. The health of the baby depends entirely on the parents.

Symptoms

How to understand if a child has worms? Symptoms may vary depending on the type of parasite that has entered the child’s body. Some worm eggs can enter the organ almost immediately, where they continue to live and multiply. But there are species that need to visit more than one organ, until they get to their habitat and go into adult form. From the following main symptoms, you can determine whether children have worms:

1. The temperature rises to 38 degrees. On the other hand, this indicator applies to many diseases, so it will not be necessary to talk about the presence of parasites in the body.
2. Perhaps the appearance of nausea, vomit. Unfortunately, this symptom can be observed with poisoning. Therefore, it also does not always indicate the presence of worms.
3. Headache and dizziness. This can be both a cause of poisoning of the body by the products of the vital activity of parasites, and a consequence of high temperature.
4. General weakness, apathy, a sharp decrease in immunity. This symptom is often associated with infection of the body by worms. But it is also not an obvious indicator of their presence.
5. Change in skin color and general painful appearance, poor condition of hair and nails.
6. Stool problems and bloating.
7. If the worms are present for a long time in the body, then the physical and mental lag of the child from peers may be noted.
8. A child with a normal diet loses weight. This symptom characterizes the presence of parasites in the child.
9. Sometimes there may be differences in appetite. The baby can eat more than the norm or vice versa, refuse food. Most often, failure can be the cause of poisoning the body with toxins that secrete worms.
10. Salivation increases, as with teething.
11. Behavior often changes - from inhibited to excitable.
12. The child falls asleep badly, often wakes up at night and cannot sleep for a long time.
13. Cough with mucus, possibly the appearance of bloody discharge.
14. Decrease in the amount of iron in the blood. Since worms eat almost all useful substances, the child begins to feel acute deficiency of vitamins and minerals.
15. Pain in the abdomen (liver, stomach, pancreas, and so on). Muscle discomforts are possible: worms can damage them too.
16. Frequent. literally one after another, colds. Poor tolerance of vaccinations.
17. Urticaria and other types of allergic reactions.
18. The presence on the outside of the tongue is white plaque.
19. Teeth grinding at night.
20. The most obvious symptom is the presence of parasites in the feces. Although, regardless of whether the worms are visible in the feces of the child or not, in the presence of other symptoms it is necessary to check with the doctor. Worms do not always settle in the intestines, but are still able to affect stool. Streaks of mucus and blood may appear in the feces.

And this is not a complete list of symptoms that occur with worms. Often, mothers are interested in whether a child has a stomach ache with worms, if the parasite is not populated in the digestive tract? The abdomen can also hurt in this case, as the toxins that enter the body begin to poison it. And this increases the load on the liver, the digestive organs are disrupted, and, therefore, there are discomfort in the stomach.

Types of worms and signs of their presence in the body

The distinctive symptoms of different types of helminthic infestations will be described below:

1. Roundworm. Is it possible to see worms in a child? If we are talking about roundworm, then yes. They can be easily considered in feces. Due to the fact that the eggs develop in the lungs, a dry cough occurs. This can cause a rise in temperature.
2. Pinworms. For these parasites, a characteristic feature is night itching near the anus and grinding of teeth. It is also possible urinary incontinence or pain during urination, lethargy and rapid fatigue in the baby.
3. Giardia. At home, they can not be found. A full diagnosis can only be made after a complete medical examination and passing tests.
4. Whispers. It is difficult to determine in the body of the child. Therefore, he can be present for a long time and not give himself away. Over time, there is a lag in the development of the baby, both mental and physical.

All the symptoms inherent in worms (except for their presence in the feces) can apply to other diseases. Therefore, to the question: “If the child has worms? Can they still be determined somehow without going to the hospital? ”, The answer will be no. And the sooner they are identified, the less harm they will have time to do to the baby.

What tests and procedures are taken?

How to find out if a child has worms? The most common and effective analysis to identify these parasites in the body is the delivery of feces. But, since there is no guarantee that the eggs of the worms could fall into the portion that was collected, it is recommended that you be tested more than once if you suspect a parasite infection.

Pinworms can be identified by the eggs that the female lays near the anus. For this, a smear is taken from this area. The study is also conducted repeatedly. The best and most reliable is a blood test to detect antibodies that are produced in the presence of worms in the body. With positive data, an ultrasound can be prescribed to determine the exact location of the parasites and their number.

These tests should be carried out if the child has several of the above symptoms that are not related to other diseases. You should not sit and wait for the parasite to become visible in the feces.

How to get rid of parasites?

Here, as with any disease, you need to know the cause before starting treatment. In the case of parasites, it is necessary to determine what kind of worms belong. Each type has its own treatment method and its own preparations.

All medicines greatly harm the body, so you should not buy them yourself. Dosage can only be prescribed by a doctor. Otherwise, getting rid of parasites can cause even greater harm to the baby.

Acceptance of drugs is not one-time. Typically, the course is repeated after 10-21 days to destroy all parasites. On some types of worms, drugs may not work while they are in the larval stage. During this time, they manage to grow, but not lay eggs.

To get rid of worms, there are folk methods that can cleanse the body. The most common is the use of garlic. But it is worth considering that this method may not be suitable for everyone, since garlic strongly irritates the gastric mucosa and can lead to burns. This is especially true for young children and those who have problems with the digestive tract.

One (two, but no more) tablespoons of coconut oil on an empty stomach during the week will help cleanse the body of worms. It will also strengthen immunity well and prevent parasites from resettling in the body.

Well expels from unwanted residents and wormwood. The broth can be prepared independently or purchased at a pharmacy. Also drink no more than 2 tablespoons on an empty stomach. You can give the baby a pomegranate decoction during the day (the crust of one pomegranate is steamed and infused in 250 ml of boiling water). Have a drink during the day. By evening, you will have to give a laxative, since pomegranate well strengthens feces.

But even folk methods are best applied to children only after consulting a pediatrician. After treatment, it is imperative to carry out disinfection in the apartment - especially for personal items. It is recommended to throw away the toothbrush and buy a new one.

Do children need prevention from worms and how to carry it out?

Unfortunately, it is impossible to protect the baby from this disease by 100%, but it can be protected by 95%. To do this, observe the following rules:

• the child must learn the rules of hygiene, get used to washing his hands and not eat dirty fruits, vegetables or berries;
• if the apartment has a pet, then every six months the animal and all family members need to drink antiparasitic drugs;
• it is recommended to strengthen the immune system, then the body itself will cope with parasites and will not allow them to populate;
• be sure to trim the nails of the kids on time: under them eggs of worms may remain, even after washing their hands;
• wash toys after a walk;
• do not allow to drink tap water;
• properly cook meat dishes, eliminate the use of meat with blood.

Prevention measures will protect the child from infection of the body by worms.

Parasites in a baby

Can there be worms in an infant? Unfortunately yes. They are found in newborns. They can get into the body even in the womb, if she has parasites. Or - with milk during feeding. Also, a pet can become a cause of infection.

Determining the presence of worms at this age is much more difficult.This is dangerous because the child’s body still cannot resist parasites, and they will greatly inhibit its development. The child will begin to lose weight, possibly frequent regurgitation, moods and refusal of food. Cyanosis under the eyes may appear. In this case, you should immediately consult a pediatrician.

Young mothers are interested in whether worms can cause temperature in a child, especially in infants? It is at this age that the body is able to react in such a way to the presence of parasites. He can not repel worms, and their waste products cause inflammatory processes that increase body temperature.

Conclusion

Worms are dangerous at any age, but for children - most of all, since they can affect development. They can severely damage the organ where they settled, sometimes without the possibility of further recovery. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to solder a child once every six months with anthelmintic drugs or infusions. If you do not want to poison the baby’s body with medicines for no reason, then you can take a number of tests (scraping, feces and blood) for the presence of parasites.