Helminths or worms are the general name for parasitic worms that live in the human body. Most of them live in the intestinal tract, but some extend beyond. Children are particularly vulnerable to worm infections. Due to insufficiently strong immunity, unable to kill parasites, and a long latent period of infection, worms can cause serious harm to a child. This is mainly due to severe poisoning, allergic reactions and, in some cases, organ damage.
In this material we will consider the main causes of helminth infection, their types, as well as treatment methods. This applies to both folk and traditional medicine.
Causes of infection
First of all, it should be noted that protecting a child from infection with worms seems to be an almost impossible task. This applies to soil-transmitted helminthiasis and is due to their method of infection. However, there are other types of worms, with different infection mechanisms. We will discuss soil-transmitted helminthiasis and other types of worms in more detail below.
The worms are growingin soil and water, after which they enter the human body and lay their eggs there. Then, along with the feces, it returns to the soil or water and the cycle repeats. By eating unclean fruits and vegetables, there is a very real risk of contracting soil-transmitted helminthic infections. Infection is also possible through dirty hands or the skin of the feet.
Infection bycontact with animals- not a myth. When contacting, playing and joint activities with an already infected animal, there is a not illusory risk of becoming infected with worms. Their eggs land on the skin or clothing, where they continue to mature and can sooner or later enter the body.
Biohelminth infection is caused byconsume under-processed meat and fish products. Particularly dangerous are undercooked kebabs, under-salted lard, sushi, unprocessed milk and under-salted fish. In addition to worms, consuming these products also poses a risk of contracting an intestinal infection.
Infectionby insect bites- this happens quite rarely, because in most cases the insects deposit their larvae under the skin of the victim. However, some types of worms are spread by insects.
With a strong immune system, infection with worms is much less likely. Additionally, over time, a person simply develops resistance to worms in their area. They do not have time to hatch or simply die shortly after hatching. However, when moving to a new area or when the immune system is weakened, protection against worms weakens.
Types of worms
There are approximately 300 species of worms, but 70 species are common. These types can be divided into three broad categories:
- Nematodes or roundworms.Most often, children are infected with this type of worm. This species includes pinworms, whipworms, trichinella and roundworms.
- Tapeworms or cestodes.Infection with this species occurs through poorly processed meat. This species includes tapeworms, tapeworms and echinococci.
- Trematodes or fluke parasites.Most often, worms of this species cause opisthorchiasis, fascioliasis, schistosomiasis and paragonimiasis.
In the vast majority of cases, worms parasitize the intestines, but their eggs, as well as the bloodstream, can spread throughout the body. As a result, worms can begin to multiply in the liver, gallbladder, muscle tissue, lungs and even in the brain.
Symptoms
Since worms are parasitic organisms, their infection does not appear immediately. After all, the parasite's goal is to avoid the host's attention for as long as possible. This is why symptoms appear either in cases of multiple infections or after a long latency period.
Typically, the first symptoms appear only 2-4 weeks after the worm eggs enter the body. All symptoms are usually caused by poisoning with helminthiasis wastes. In some cases, especially when the child's immunity is reduced, helminthiasis infection may appear earlier.
Amongmain signs of worms in childrencan be distinguished:
- Increased appetite without weight gain;
- Increased salivation;
- Painful feeling in stomach, nausea and unstable stools;
- Dizziness and headache;
- The appearance of allergic reactions;
- Sleep disturbances, sleep deterioration and increased irritability;
- Increased hair loss and split nails;
- Frequent inflammatory processes of the nasopharynx and genitourinary tract.
With prolonged infection, developmental delays, dysfunction of internal organs and neurological abnormalities are observed.
It is important to note that a strange smell coming from a child's mouth, abdominal pain, frequent hiccups and grinding teeth at night in no way indicate worm infection. These symptoms are just a myth.
Diagnostic features
Given the variety of symptoms of infection with this parasite, making an accurate diagnosis is not an easy task. First of all you need to dostool analysisfor the presence of parasite nests. However, this method is not the most reliable. The fact is that in some cases in the body of the carrier there may be several individuals of the same sex incapable of reproduction. Additionally, some species lay eggs extremely rarely, making it difficult to make a clear diagnosis. That is why stool tests for worms are carried out three times several days apart, because it is necessary to detect the exact moment of reproduction of the parasite.
Parasite infection may also be indicated by a high eosinophil count associated with a low hemoglobin level andgeneral blood test.For diagnosis, scraping from enterobiasis and examination of the abdominal cavity using ultrasound or x-ray are also used. To clarify the diagnosis, doctors can resort to biological analyzes of urine and stool, as well as immunological studies.
Once the exact type of parasite has been determined, as well as the level of damage caused to the body, treatment can begin.
Methods for treating worms in children
Of course, the main method of treating helminths is medication. However, in certain cases, the use of traditional medicine is also permitted. It is important to remember that in most cases folk remedies are not powerful enough to cope with a moderate infection, much less a severe one. They should be used as aids. Naturally, traditional medicine also has a number of limitations. These and other ways will be discussed in more detail below.
Drugs
Drug treatment of helminth infection aims to destroy the worms and reduce the level of toxins they release. When treating worms, especially in children, it is strongly not recommended to use broad-spectrum drugs. The fact is that they have a very powerful effect and their use, even with the correct dosage, can lead to serious problems. Additionally, the wrong medication can cause more harm than the parasites themselves. That is why it is important to make an accurate diagnosis and determine what type of parasites the child is infected with.
To eliminate toxins, vitamin complexes containing vitamins B and C, glucose solutions and infusions of water-salt solution are used. In some cases, antihistamines and diuretics are also used. And if the heart and liver are damaged, hormonal treatment may be necessary. To enhance the effects, enzyme preparations that improve digestion are often used, as well as enterosorbents that remove parasite waste from the body.
Will 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 parasites. However, even if folk remedies cannot become an alternative to traditional means, this does not mean that they should not be used. On the contrary, they will constitute an excellent complement to drug treatment. Among the most effective and safe folk remedies are the following.
Vegetable oilsare an effective method of combating almost all types of helminths. The most effective are apricot, cedar and sea buckthorn oils; however, a safer option for children would be flaxseed or hemp oil. The oil should be consumed in its pure form, one teaspoon three times a day before meals. If your child refuses to eat it, add it to porridge or soak the bread in butter. The duration of oil treatment is one week, after which you need to take a break for two weeks.
Another effective treatment for helminths ispumpkin seeds. This is mainly due to the presence of cucurbitin, a rare amino acid that kills worms. Pumpkin seeds can be eaten raw or made into milk. In their raw form, they are consumed in 120 grams for children from three to seven years old, 200 for children from seven to eleven years old and 300 grams for children under thirteen years old. Seed milk can be prepared by passing 200 grams of seeds through a meat grinder, pouring two glasses of boiling water over them and infusing the drink for a quarter of an hour in a water bath. Then we filter the broth and feed the child with it throughout the day, before meals.
GarlicIt is also a common remedy for helminthiasis. It is often used to prevent parasitic infections and also as an adjuvant against enterobiosis and ascariasis. It is used as follows: finely chop two cloves of garlic and pour a glass of milk over them. The resulting drink is consumed twice a day, a quarter of a glass, for four days.
For therapeutic purposes, drugs are often usedenemaswith herbal decoctions. This is done in order to eliminate parasites from the intestinal lumen. Decoctions of wormwood, chamomile and other herbs are suitable for these purposes. You can also use a milk-garlic enema, the recipe for which was given above. When using an enema, it is important that its temperature is not lower than room temperature, and its 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 methodMost often used for helminthiasis caused by pinworms. Its essence is to block the lumen of the large intestine using special tampons soaked in vegetable oil or petroleum jelly. This is done so that adult worms do not migrate to the surface of the anus and continue to reproduce. The child's anal passage is blocked with tampons for a month. It is important to note that this method is not effective for extraintestinal forms of helminthiasis, nor in cases of severe enterobiosis.
Before using any of the above methods, you should always consult and obtain approval from your pediatrician.
In addition to means intended directly to combat parasites, auxiliary means can also be used. Any recipes that help improve digestion and remove toxins from the body will do. Substances rich in vitamins B and C are also beneficial. You should consult your doctor before use.
Prevention of helminthiasis in children
As we have already noted, the vast majority of cases of worm infection occur through the oral area. Therefore, the prevention of parasitic infections mainly includesmaintain personal hygiene rules. In addition, you should carefully wash vegetables and fruits before eating them, and also make sure that fish, meat and dairy products have undergone sufficient heat treatment. If you have pets, preventive anthelmintic treatment should be carried out. And finally, you need to keep your house clean.
In addition, there is an opinion that to prevent helminthiasis, anthelmintic drugs should be taken regularly. This opinion is very controversial in the medical field. Some doctors believe that the prophylactic use of such drugs does not guarantee reinfection and puts additional stress on the body. This group of doctors says that basic hygiene is enough to reduce the risk of infection. The second group of doctors believes that it is simply impossible to do without the prophylactic use of such drugs, given the lack of compliance with hygiene rules by children. The question of prevention is even more acute if the child is constantly in contact with animals that frequent the street.
One way or another, only you can decide whether it is worth using anti-worm drugs for prevention. However, it is worth considering if:
- You are planning a trip to southern countries;
- The child attends kindergarten;
- There are animals at home who visit the street;
- Children play in the sandbox or have frequent contact with the ground;
- Children spend a lot of time in nature.