Worms in a child: signs and treatment, photo

Helminths, unfortunately, remain a serious problem in the modern world. These parasites are especially dangerous for children. Worms not only do not allow the children's body to fully use all incoming nutrients, but can cause very serious problems. This is intoxication, allergies, chronic infections, decreased immunity, a complex lesion of the gastrointestinal tract. What is alarming, the signs of worms in children are not always clearly manifested - often there are no symptoms, and the presence of parasites can be found only from the tests. Therefore, parents need to know as much as possible about this threat.

Problem prevalence

It will probably be correct to assume that the signs of worms in children are most characteristic of dysfunctional families living in unsanitary conditions, as well as for children who are in direct contact with contaminated water, soil, and animals. Statistics show a completely different story: only in developed European countries parasites are found in every third person.

As for our country, in Russia the number of diagnosed helminthiases reaches 2 million cases annually. But some statistical sources, based on data on the turnover of anthelmintic agents, boldly talk about the figure of 20 million! And it is important to note that in 8 out of 10 cases, signs of worms are found in children. Therefore, our goal of discussion is a very serious problem for the present.

Types of helminths

More than 300 species of parasites of this type have already been discovered. Of these, about 70 "live" in the territory of the Russian Federation. The rest can easily become infected when traveling through overseas countries.

Speaking about the signs of worms in children, we distinguish three groups of parasites that are happy to inhabit human bodies:

• Trematodes (flukes). They cause fascioliasis, paragonimiasis, opisthorchiasis, schistosomiasis.
• Cestodes (tape, flat). These are famous school lentets, tapeworms, echinococci from school.
• Nematodes (round). Symptoms and signs of worms in a child are associated primarily with these parasites. These include roundworms, whipworms, pinworms, trichinella.

The main "place of residence" of helminths is the intestinal tract. But this does not at all exclude the possibility of the spread of eggs and parasite larvae by blood flow to other body systems. Most often, organs adjacent to the digestive tract - the gall bladder and liver, suffer. But cases of damage to the lungs, brain, and muscles are not ruled out.

Helminth infection

Note that the path of infection depends on the characteristics of the development of the parasite. For some helminths, man is the main "home", and for some - an intermediate link. A number of parasites lay eggs in the soil or in other conditions. But, in order not to detect the symptoms and signs of worms in a child, in any case, you need to remember about comprehensive hygiene.

Children's age is distinguished by the incomplete formation of immunity. In addition, the risk of infection increases and the natural need of a small person to taste everything.

The most common helminths in children (pinworms and roundworms) are carried on unwashed hands. They can be infected by grabbing the doorknob, handrail in transport, someone else's toy. They penetrate the body and with food - unwashed vegetables, fruits, herbs, berries. It can infect both humans and animals.

Note that the same pinworms provoke self-infection - reinfestation. Laying eggs outside the infected anus, the female parasite provokes itching. This makes the patient touch the irritated surface, rub it, comb it, trying to drown out the unpleasant sensation. As a result, eggs fall on hands, clothes, bedding, household items.

Due to insufficient hygiene, reinfestation can occur - pinworm eggs enter the oral cavity from household items, hands. From here self-infection happens far from the place where the child "picked up" the parasite - a playground, playroom, kindergarten.

Hazardous Infection Factors

Signs of worms in a child (we do not place photos of parasites for ethical reasons) are most often detected as a result of the following factors:

• Ignoring hygiene. The child should not be lazy to wash his hands, coming from guests, from the street, from the kindergarten, before each meal.
• The habit of biting nails, licking fingers, holding foreign objects in the mouth - pens, pencils, toys, etc.
• The presence of pets that walk on the street. Even if you are taking anthelmintic prophylaxis, a dog or cat can bring worm eggs on their feet, on their hair to the house.
• General low level of hygiene in the house. Untimely cleaning, wearing street clothes and shoes in the room extremely increases the risk of infection with intestinal parasites.
• Non-observance of the rules for processing products before eating them. It all starts with the banal washing of fruits and vegetables before eating.
  

The first signs of worms in a child

Starting to talk about the symptoms of infection, we note that the clinical picture of helminthiasis is far from immediately. Everything is explained simply - the parasite is in no hurry to detect its presence to the owner. After all, he needs to remain incognito for as long as possible for life and development.

Vivid signs of worms in a child (photos are excluded for ethical reasons) appear only in the following cases:

• Multiple infection.
• The presence of diseases in the child, against which it is easy to detect the presence of parasites.
• Weakened immunity.
• Infection with a rare type of helminth, which causes a sharp reaction of the whole organism.

But the main signs of the appearance of worms in a child:

• Increased salivation.
• Excellent appetite, which is not accompanied by an increase in body weight.
• Unstable chair.
• Flatulence.
• Nausea.
• The manifestation of intestinal dyspepsia.
• Pain in the stomach, right hypochondrium.
• Intestinal cramps.
• Fatigue, loss of strength.
• Headaches, dizziness.
• The sudden appearance of an allergic reaction that has never been observed before. Or a sharp exacerbation of an already diagnosed allergy.
• Violation of sleep patterns.
• Sensitivity
• Irritability.
• Violation of visual acuity, memory (a consequence of intoxication of the child's body).
• Stratification of the nail plate, lifelessness, brittle hair - the result of vitamin deficiency and iron deficiency.
• Inflammatory diseases in the nasopharynx - pharyngitis, sinusitis, sinusitis and so on.
• In girls, due to the peculiarities of the anatomical location of the vagina and anus, genital diseases can often be observed.

Signs of the presence of worms in children usually begin to manifest themselves 2-4 weeks after infection. Their intensity depends on the strength of the child’s immunity, the number of parasites, the general condition of the patient’s health, and the type of helminths.

In infants, infection manifests itself as follows:

• Weight not corresponding to the age of the crumbs.
• Anxiety, whims.
• Bad dream.
• The child often cries for a long time, screaming heart-rendingly.
• Drooling in a dream.
• Chronic constipation.
• Rash on the calf.
• Bruises around the eyes.
• Pallor of the skin.
  

Private signs

Let us now look at the symptoms of specific types of helminthiasis.

Enterobiosis (pinworms) additionally manifests itself as follows:

• Insomnia, anxious, intermittent sleep, bad dreams.
• Itching around the anus, worse at night.
• Involuntary urination in girls (nocturnal enuresis).
• Acute appendicitis.
• Girls have sexually transmitted infections, vulvovaginitis, inflammation in the uterus.
• Enterocolitis.
• Dysbacteriosis

But the signs of various types of ascariasis affecting the liver, pancreas, gall bladder, lungs, heart:

• The affected organ increases in size. Most often it is the liver, lymph nodes, spleen.
• Increase in body temperature to about 38 °.
• Malaise, weakness.
• Cough with sputum of an orange shade, with an admixture of blood.
• Bronchial asthma, pneumonia, pleurisy, obstructive bronchitis.
• Skin allergy. Most often it is a urticaria, with a foot and palms spreading throughout the body.
• Nervous, psycho-disorders.
• Sleep disturbance.
• Sharp weight loss.
• Low blood pressure
• Gastrointestinal affection: cramping pains, nausea, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation, redness of the anus, vomiting.
• Photophobia, enlarged pupils.

We list the signs and less common lesions of helminths:

• Wide tape: anemia, atypical abdominal pain, intestinal disorders.
• Toxocariasis: allergic cough with asthma attacks, ophthalmitis, chorioretinitis, keratitis, lung infiltrates, puffiness of the face.
• Opisthorchiasis: fever, hepatitis, swollen lymph nodes, skin rash.
• Hymenolepidosis: allergic, vasomotor rhinitis.
• Trichocephaliasis: periodic gastric, intestinal disorders, lag in physical and mental development.

Late symptoms of infection

We continue to analyze the symptoms and signs of worms in a child. A photo of children faced with this trouble can be found in the article. If helminthiasis is observed for a long time, then it begins to characterize the following:

• The child lags behind the norm in weight, development, and growth.
• Disorders in the digestive tract, gastrointestinal diseases.
• Anemia.
• Various allergies.
• Vivid symptoms of intoxication.
• Neurological abnormalities.
• Exposure to respiratory viral infections.

The clinical picture of intoxication of the body with prolonged helminthiasis is noted in all cases of infection.

False symptoms

More recently, it was believed that the sign of worms in children 5 years of age and older is bruxism. In other words, gnashing of teeth in a dream. However, doctors have already denied this claim. Bruxism is a sign of an unstable state of the nervous system.

Yes, helminths can cause sleep disturbances, contribute to neurotization, but just grinding your teeth is not able to directly indicate their presence. Eliminating bruxism is a matter for dentists and neurologists.

Diagnosis of helminthiasis

Signs of worms in a child up to a year and in older children are most often determined by specialists at annual preventive medical examinations. In particular, this is an analysis of feces for helminth eggs. However, today the method is no longer considered completely reliable - not all types can be defined as follows. Some parasites cannot be detected on time due to the fact that the egg laying time may not coincide with the date of the analysis. It is impossible to exclude cases when one or two same-sex parasites live in the body, which do not multiply, but cause significant harm to the child.

If helminth eggs were detected during fecal analysis, then a repeated one is taken after 2-3 weeks. Be sure to do scraping for enterobiosis. The signs of worms in children of 3 years and a different age can also be detected by a blood test - this is a reduced level of hemoglobin in combination with a high content of eosinophils.

The following procedures help to clarify the diagnosis:

• Coprogram of feces.
• Biological studies of urine, sputum, bile.
• Echinococcus determines a radiographic or ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs.
• Opisthorchiasis finds duodenal sounding and analysis of the intestinal contents of the patient.
• Immunological studies are designed to determine the type of parasite and the amount of harm that it has caused to the body.

Based on the diagnosis, the patient is prescribed helminthiasis therapy.

Drug treatment

We continue to talk about the signs and treatment of worms in a child. Helminthiasis therapy is aimed at the following:

• Getting rid of the pest.
• Detoxification of the child's body.
• Leveling, reducing the harm caused to humans by worms.

Hence, the following is prescribed against intoxication:

• Vitamin complexes of groups B and C.
• Preparations containing iron.
• Mineral complexes.
• Hemodesis infusion.
• Glucose solution.
• Antihistamines, diuretics.
• If the liver, cardiac muscle is affected, then hormonal drugs are prescribed.
  

Helminthiasis maintenance therapy is as follows:

• Enterosorbents. It is urged to remove helminth products from the digestive tract as soon as possible.
• Enzyme medicines. Improve both digestion and the functioning of internal organs.

If signs of worms are found in children (2 years and a different age), it is necessary to refrain from the following treatment:

• Preparations of wide action. Any medications that cause the death of parasites also affect the body of the child. Therefore, the choice of the type, dosage of such a drug should be approached with caution.
• Self-treatment without the guidance of a specialist.
• The use of folk methods. Their safety, effectiveness, as well as the effect on the children's body has not yet been proven and studied.

Anthelmintic medicines

What are the signs of worms in a child, we examined in detail above. Let's look at the main drugs today used in the treatment of helminthiasis.

Now we turn to the important prescriptions that are designed to make treatment effective.

The main rules of treatment

We examined the symptoms and signs of worms in a child, we got acquainted with the photo. Now let's move on to the prescriptions, which should make the treatment more productive:

• If the disease is detected in one family member, then all children and adults living with him in the same room undergo treatment. This rule applies not only to ascariasis, known for their high contact, but also to other types of infection with parasites. What is important, only a doctor has the right to select therapy for each family member.
• Also, if there are animals in the house, anthelmintic prophylaxis should also be carried out in relation to pets.
• In the room where the patient is, daily necessary hygiene measures. It is necessary to remove carpets and rugs, soft toys, bedspreads, etc. from there.
• Bedding and towels should be changed as often as possible. Underwear - at least twice a day. All items must be ironed after washing at the maximum temperature allowed for the material.
• The patient must wash his hands before eating, after visiting the toilet room, going outside. His towel is strictly personal.
• A person affected by helminthiasis should shorten his nails to exclude a probable source of self-infection.

Without compliance with the above rules, drug therapy will not be effective.

Helminthiasis Prevention

The simplest and most important thing in prevention is to take care of comprehensive personal hygiene. One of the most common infections is the ingestion of worm eggs in the oral cavity from the fingers. Their usual washing prevents infection.

In addition, the basis of prevention is the following:

• Thoroughly rinse fruits, herbs, vegetables and berries before eating raw. To do this, wash about 2-3 minutes under running water.
• Long-term heat treatment of meat before eating it. This is especially true of river fish - at least 40-60 minutes.
• Anthelmintic prophylaxis of pets according to a schedule drawn up by a veterinarian.
• Maintaining the general cleanliness of the home according to general hygiene standards.

Thus, almost all helminthiases are diseases of dirty hands. It follows that the diseases are more characteristic for young children who taste the surroundings, do not fully know the rules of personal hygiene. It must be remembered that children's immunity is not as strong as an adult. Therefore, parents need to remember the main symptoms of helminth infections, take care of the hygiene safety of their child.