When a child has worms, what are the symptoms? Helminthiases in children. Symptoms characterizing the presence of worms in a child’s body

Content

The danger of worms entering the body accompanies a person from the first days of life. Adults, the elderly, teenagers and children become infected through hands, food and water. Problems of helminthic infestation are easily confused with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. If symptoms appear in a baby, it is important to get tested and see a doctor. How to remove worms from a child?

What causes worms in children?

Eggs of worms from the group of helminths enter the child's body through water and food. The main causes of worms are the consumption of unwashed fruits and vegetables. Dirty hands, uncooked food, unclean water, flies - all this is dangerous. Tapeworms are acquired through contaminated meat, and nematodes are transmitted through the skin through contact with a dirty surface (if you walk on the ground). When such products are consumed orally, enterobiasis (infection with pinworms up to 2 cm in size) may occur. Roundworms are transmitted through animals.

Why are they dangerous?

Types of worms in children

tapeworms: cestodes, dwarf tapeworm, tapeworm, echinococcus;
annelids: annelids;
roundworms: trichinella, pinworms, whipworms, nematodes, roundworms;
spiny-headed worms: acanthocephalans;
flatworms: trematodes, flukes.

How to find out if a child has worms

Many parents are interested in how to detect worms. Laboratory diagnostics helps to recognize the disease and is a reliable way to determine helminthiasis. If an invasion is detected in a timely manner, a course of medication is immediately prescribed, which helps protect the baby from unpleasant consequences. In some cases, the disease can be diagnosed visually: worms will be present in the stool. When the body is affected by helminthiasis, the following signs may be observed:

increased frequency of headaches or dizziness;
grinding teeth during sleep (bruxism);
severe fatigue;
digestive disorders (constipation or loose stools);
excessive increase in appetite or its complete absence;
pain in the navel or throughout the abdomen.

Blood analysis

Can an infant have worms?

Signs of worms in children

Each type of helminth is characterized by its own typical symptoms, but common symptoms of worms in children can be identified, including: restlessness, irritability, pallor and dry skin. The baby begins to be capricious and has circles under his eyes. If parents notice them, they should consult a doctor before it is too late. Among the signs of helminthiasis are:

lack of weight;
there is redness in the anal area;
elevated temperature;
dry cough, but no cold;
pain in the stomach, head.

First signs

sudden nausea;
increased drooling during sleep;
paroxysmal pain in the abdominal area of uncertain localization;
the anus begins to itch (when infected with pinworms);
fast fatiguability;
bad dream.

Temperature

Vomit

Worm infestations in children can cause white, foamy vomit. The process develops gradually. The initial stage of the disease lasts 3 weeks. Then a dry cough and skin rashes similar to hives appear. Vomiting occurs due to worms in a child, along with other unpleasant symptoms: excessive salivation, anxiety and nausea. At the first appearance of white vomit foam, a stool test is performed to detect traces of helminthic eggs.

Diarrhea

Treatment of worms in children

Scheme

The preparatory process consists of taking 1 tsp. before meals, flaxseed oil three times a day and sorbent 1 tablet after meals.
Then there are deworming tablets for children prescribed by a doctor.
Then hepatoprotectors come into play to support the liver.

Antihelminthic drugs for children

Albendazole;
Pyrantel;
Levamisole;
Vermox;
Decaris.

Folk remedies

The wide popularity of traditional methods of treatment is due not to their destructive, but to their mild effect on the human body, in contrast to pharmaceutical drugs. When expelling helminths, you need to be sure that the person does not have an allergy to herbs or an individual intolerance to the composition, otherwise the treatment may be harmful. What to give your child for worms and how to get rid of them? Phytotherapeutic treatment of worms in children using folk methods is carried out using infusions and decoctions of the following plants:

tansy;
garlic;
dandelion root;
Red clover;
yarrow;
thyme;
calamus root;
sagebrush.

Diet

Prevention of helminthiasis in children

wash your hands before eating;
pour boiling water over or simply wash fruits, vegetables, citrus fruits, berries, herbs served to the table;
drink only boiled, mineral or purified water, not raw water;
eat quality products;
protect yourself from insects;
do not swim in unfamiliar places, especially in summer. Worms in children: symptoms, treatment and prevention

Infection of a child's body with worms is the cause of many malfunctions in its functioning, including disruption of physical development and the appearance of serious diseases. Therefore, the problem cannot be ignored and it is important to identify it in the early stages.

What are the ways of infecting a child with worms?

Most often this happens due to:

1. contact with pets and other children who have worms;

2. through contaminated soil (dirt on the hands, under the nails after a walk) with irregular hand washing, including after visiting the toilet, with poorly washed vegetables and fruits;

3. when flies and other insects come into contact with consumed food;

4. in case of insufficient heat treatment of meat and fish;

5. in case of accidental ingestion of water while swimming in an open body of water.

Symptoms of helminthic infestation

It’s easier with children 3-6 years old: they can more or less formulate a complaint about pain in one area or another. As for the general list of the first signs that parents should pay attention to, this is:

grinding of teeth at night;
pallor;
increased fatigue;
weight loss;
dark circles under the eyes;
lack of appetite, nausea;
increased salivation;
constipation or diarrhea;
sleep disorders;
itching in the anus;
itching in the nose;
pain in the navel area;
tearfulness, moodiness;
allergic rash on the body;
the presence of small worms in feces;
sometimes cough.

Diagnosis of helminthiasis

Drug treatment of helminthiasis in children

Piperazine Adipate.

It has long been used in pediatric practice, is low-toxic, has a narrow spectrum of action - it removes only adult nematodes through feces. Does not affect eggs and larvae. Ineffective against extensive nematode infestation. Side effects in the form of nausea, chills, diarrhea, pain in the lower abdomen.

Decaris.

Albendazole.

Used for severe worm infections in children after two years of age. It has a pronounced effect with strong side effects, so it can be used in a hospital setting under the strict supervision of a doctor.

Vermox.

Prescribed for diagnosed signs of worms in children over two years of age, removes a large number of types of helminths. Effective for mixed forms of damage. The following undesirable consequences of taking the drug are common: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, elevated body temperature, allergic reaction, hair loss.

Pirantel.

The drug is widely and successfully used in pediatric practice for children from 6 months to three years. Apply once with a repeat course after 14-21 days. Side effects include abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, blurred vision, chills, and sometimes hallucinations.

Wormil.

Prescribed to children aged 2 years and older. The drug has a wide spectrum of action, effective against nematodes, cestodes, trematodes, as well as protozoa. When worms are removed from the body, intoxication occurs, which causes the following reactions: headache, as well as in the lower abdomen, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, heartburn, body itching.

Mebendazole is also effective against ascariasis, trichuriasis and enterobiasis. In parallel with the child, nearby adults should also be treated, since there is a high probability of mutual infection. To reduce the symptoms of helminthiasis, you need to take antihistamines. After taking anthelmintic drugs, you should resort to the help of absorbents that will remove toxins from the body, which are released by dying worms, thus reducing the severity of side effects.

Most remedies, taken once, only get rid of adult helminths without affecting their eggs and larvae. This only happens if you take the drug again a week later.

You need to adhere to certain daily rules:

1. teach the child to always wash their hands before eating, after visiting the toilet, crowded places and playgrounds;

2. avoid close contact with animals, especially those not treated against worms;

3. cut your nails regularly;

4. explain why you should not put your hands in your mouth;

5. keep the bathroom clean every day.

In a word, worms in children are difficult to prevent, and even if parents teach their child to observe the rules of personal hygiene from a very early age, the child can still catch the infection by interacting with children on the playground, playing in the yard or in kindergarten, etc.

Most often, worms are found in children during infancy and preschool age. This is due to insufficient development of the immune system and the barrier functions of the gastrointestinal tract.

Prevention of helminthic infestations (infection and their spread) should consist of following simple measures:

washing hands after walking outside;
avoiding close contact of the baby with stray animals (and sometimes with domestic animals, if there is a suspicion that they have helminths);
regular house cleaning including dust removal and floor washing;
thorough washing of fruits and vegetables before consumption, as well as complete heat treatment of food products such as meat, fish, etc.

Also, preventing the spread of helminths is to ensure that each family member has their own hygiene items - towels, soap. It is also important to use separate spoons, plates, cups and other cutlery.

Symptoms

If worms are detected in children, the symptoms of the pathology will initially be of a general clinical nature. Such a child will complain about:

absent-mindedness;
weakness;
apathy;
irritability;
capriciousness.

In most cases, parents mistake such symptoms of worms in children for a complex nature, trying to re-educate the child or apply corrective methods to him. More specific symptoms are caused by helminthic infestations during the period of active reproduction, during the period of migration throughout the body, as well as in cases where they cause the development of complications in a child.

Of course, each type of helminth can cause its own specific symptoms. For example, the main symptom of pinworms is severe itching in the anal area that occurs at night. But there are symptoms inherent in all types of helminths, including:

disturbance of night sleep, teeth grinding (at night);
dyspeptic disorders (diarrhea, mucus in stool, blood in stool, etc.);
cramping pain in the navel area (this area is where most helminths are localized);
skin reactions in the form of atopic dermatitis.

When the child’s temperature rises to low-grade levels, skin rashes appear, and the lymph nodes and liver become enlarged. He will also have pain in the abdomen and right hypochondrium, nausea and vomiting, and disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract. Against the background of this helminthic infestation, if it is not treated in a timely manner, severe pancreatitis and other complications may develop.

When, which occurs in children under 4 years of age, children suffer from a pronounced allergic cough, they develop itchy rashes on the skin, and the lungs, joints, liver and many other organs are affected. If such a disease is not treated promptly, irreversible eye damage and other serious disorders are likely to develop.

Diagnosis and treatment

Most helminthiasis can be diagnosed by passing a stool test. There is a superficial study used for (scraping for enterobiasis) and an in-depth study of feces for worm eggs. A related examination is a stool test for dysbacteriosis. A general blood test is also prescribed.

In some cases, a blood test for the DNA of certain types of helminths is indicated. But this analysis is expensive and not always justified, since DNA can remain in the blood for a long time, therefore, even if the child does not have worms, the analysis can be positive if he once suffered from one or another helminthic infestation.

Treatment involves the use of deworming tablets in children. Unfortunately, drugs that destroy helminths have a fairly high toxic effect on the entire body, so such treatment is justified only in cases of a confirmed diagnosis of helminth infections. Antihelminthic medications for worms in children are divided into several groups, each of which acts on certain types of helminths. Thus, the following drugs are effective against pinworms and roundworms:

Pyrantel;
Nemocid;
Helminthox.

However, drugs such as Piperazine and Mebendazole have the least toxic effect. These remedies for many types of worms for children are patented by the Ministry of Health as the most effective and affordable.

As mentioned above, the doctor selects antihelminthic drugs for children taking into account multiple characteristics. He determines which drugs have the most destructive effect on certain helminthic infestations, as well as which drugs will cause the least harm to the baby’s body, helping him get rid of the disease and severe symptoms in the shortest possible time.

Traditional medicine methods in the fight against helminths

There are numerous folk methods that allow you to get rid of worms in the shortest possible time without harming the baby’s health. Of course, traditional methods must be used with caution - it is best to consult with your doctor to understand whether a particular traditional medicine remedy for worms is suitable for children (taking into account the characteristics of their body and state of health).

Unfortunately, for infants there are not many ways to get rid of pinworms using folk remedies, since they are prohibited from taking many products that have a detrimental effect on helminths. But for older children, as well as for adults, folk methods are numerous and effective, among them:

drinking wormwood infusion with milk;
a decoction of elecampane and celandine in equal proportions;
taking hemp oil on an empty stomach;
eating pumpkin seeds.

Every child can become infected with worms

Why is helminthiasis dangerous?

Types of worms that affect the child’s body

Tape. This type of worm includes cestodes, dwarf tapeworm, tapeworm and echinococcus.
Ringed. Among them are annelids.
Round. Their representatives are trichinella, pinworms, whipworms, nematodes, and roundworms.
Spinyheads. They are represented by acanthocephalans.
Flat. These include flukes and flukes.

Causes and methods of infection

It is possible to become infected with helminthiasis not only in an exotic country or by trying an unusual dish on the menu. Playing in the sandbox and unwashed hands is the easiest way for worms to enter a child’s body. Kids tend to touch and study everything without thinking about the purity of the object being examined. After this, they can safely lick their fingers without washing them first. Worms remain viable for a very long time (from weeks to months), remaining on the surface of various objects.

In addition to dirty hands, the main sources of infection include:

Helminthiases in children are represented by a huge variety, and each individual type has its own specific symptoms. However, there are a number of symptoms that are characteristic of any type of worms:

irritability and moodiness for no apparent reason;
restless sleep;
allergy;
itching in the anus (we recommend reading:);
increased salivation;
impaired digestion process, accompanied by diarrhea, constipation, nausea and bloating;
lack of appetite;
weight loss with proper nutrition;
pallor of the skin.

In children, helminthiasis causes lack of appetite

In adult children, these symptoms may be accompanied by:

Pinworms

Their presence causes the following symptoms to appear:

Severe itching in the anus. Its intensity can reach such strength that the child will sleep poorly, scratch the anus, causing irritation and inflammation.
Urinary incontinence during night sleep. It is observed in girls. This happens if pinworms from the anus enter the urethra. As a result, the baby begins to develop urethritis, vaginitis or cystitis.

Pinworms are easy to get rid of, and they are not as dangerous as other types of helminthiasis (more details in the article:). It is important to consult a doctor in time, when the first signs appear, and undergo the necessary tests. If a child has been diagnosed with pinworms, then the parents also require treatment. All clothes, towels and other rags should be washed and ironed, and the room should be thoroughly washed, since the eggs of these worms are found on all surfaces in the infected person’s home.

Ascariasis (roundworms)

Life size female and male roundworm

Other characteristic features include:

headache and dizziness;
allergies;
enlarged lymph nodes;
elevated temperature;
intestinal disorders.

At the same time, there is no itching in the buttocks due to roundworms. The habitat can be not only the intestines, but also any other organ or system of the body.

Trichocephalosis (whipworm)

Human whipworm

A distinctive feature of trichocephalosis is the almost complete absence of any signs of helminthic infestation. Possible symptoms boil down to:

Other types of worms that can occur in children include the following:

Hymenolepidosis or dwarf rat tapeworm. Specific symptoms are not typical for him. Its presence can be recognized by nausea, loss of appetite, heartburn, alternating diarrhea and constipation, headache, abdominal pain, increased salivation, dizziness, fatigue, skin rashes, allergic rhinitis and bronchospasms.
Opisthorchiasis or Siberian cat fluke. These worms in a child cause low-grade fever, rashes on the skin, enlarged lymph nodes, pain in the joints and right hypochondrium, pancreatitis, gastritis and other signs of malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, constant catarrhal syndrome and more.

Toxocara

Toxocariasis. Transmitted through animals. The main symptoms are an allergic cough with suffocation and skin rashes, which are characterized by severe itching.
Wide tape. The source of infection is undercooked or undercooked fish. Symptoms include abdominal pain, allergic reaction, 12-deficiency anemia, and other common signs of intestinal distress.

How to check if your child has worms?

In most cases, it is difficult for parents to associate specific symptoms with helminthiasis or understand why the child suddenly developed vomiting or other symptoms for no apparent reason. At the slightest suspicion of the appearance of worms, you should go to specialists and take tests that can easily verify the assumption of helminthic infestation. This will not take much time and effort, but the cause of the baby’s illness will be clearly understood and it will be possible to carry out treatment in a timely manner.

Self-diagnosis

Self-diagnosis is a careful monitoring of changes in the behavior, development, habits, routine and normal state of the child - both physical and emotional-psychological.

It includes:

periodic examination of feces for the presence of worms;
monitoring the frequency of toilet visits;
examining the skin for rashes, redness, or irritation;
checking the amount of food consumed.

Taking tests

Medical diagnosis is necessary to confirm the diagnosis if worms were detected visually, or only if helminthic infestation is suspected. To find out the cause of your symptoms, you need to undergo a series of tests, which include:

analysis for the presence of IgG antibodies;
ultrasonography;
X-ray (we recommend reading: ).

Features of drug treatment

Other drugs may be prescribed:

Furazolidone (we recommend reading:);
McMiror;
Enterol (we recommend reading:);
Dekaris (we recommend reading:);
Biltricide.

What folk remedies can help?

In addition to medications, worms can also be treated with folk remedies.

Prevention

From an early age, a child must be introduced to the rules of personal hygiene.

Regardless of the type of worms, prevention comes down to following basic rules of personal hygiene:

Washed food. All vegetables, fruits and berries must be washed well before eating. As an additional measure, the products can be doused with boiling water.
Clean hands. You need to wash them before eating, after walks, visits to the hospital and being in public places, after using the toilet and playing with animals, even pets.
Deworming of pets. It needs to be done at least 2 times a year.
Boiled or filtered water for drinking. It is prohibited to drink water from open reservoirs. You should also avoid swimming in them to avoid splashing water into your mouth. The exception is salt lakes and seas.
Regular prevention using folk remedies or Albendazole.
Caring for toys old and new. Soft toys should be washed periodically, plastic and plastic ones should be washed with boiled water. New ones must be doused with boiling water before giving to a child.
No to insects! Flies, mosquitoes, and cockroaches carry helminth eggs on their legs. It is important to keep them out of the house. To do this, you can use fumigators, adhesive tapes and special crayons.
Exclusion from the child’s diet of fish and meat dishes that require low-cooking of animal products.
Submitting a stool test once a year. This procedure will help detect worms at an early stage.

Once inside, the larvae or eggs immediately begin to develop. They are able to move throughout the body and affect several organs. The longer worms stay in the body, especially in children, the more harm they can cause. Therefore, the main thing in treatment is efficiency.

Worms can cause an abscess in the digestive system, block the bile ducts, and cause exacerbation of appendicitis, peritonitis, urinary incontinence, or vulvovaginitis in girls.

If symptoms of worms are detected in children, treatment should begin immediately.

Types of helminths

The behavior of the parents themselves plays a large role in the treatment of worms. There is no need to cause panic or scare the child., or, conversely, slow down the treatment process. You need to take this as a normal childhood disease and do everything that the doctor prescribes for treatment.

Methods of infection with helminths are:

upon contact with animals, eggs are found on fur or in feces;
upon contact with the ground, after which the child did not wash his hands;
after drinking or swimming in contaminated water;
after eating raw meat or fish;
insects can be carriers of larvae;
after close contact with a person who has worms;
a mother infects her child during pregnancy.

Symptoms of the presence of helminths in a child

What is lamblia, giardiasis and how to deal with them:

To do this, laboratory tests are taken, which include the collection of stool - coprogram. Special medical instruments are used to visualize the problem.

Treatment methods: medications and folk remedies

Correct diagnosis is the path to a quick and effective recovery

Treatment of worms in children at home combines drug treatment and the use of folk remedies.

Currently, there are a number of drugs against helminthiasis, but the doctor must prescribe those that are suitable for children of the corresponding age groups:

Mebendazole.
Levamisole.
Albendazole.
Pirantel.
Piperazine.
Gelmodol-VM.
Helminthox.

At the same time, antihistamines are prescribed to prevent allergies:

Cetrin;
Zyrtec;
Zodak.

Each medicine must be accompanied by instructions; before use, you must read them carefully, as there may be contraindications and side effects.

Dr. Komarovsky claims that when treating worms in children, the following algorithm must be followed:

Use of anthelmintic drugs.
Taking enterosorbents to cleanse the body.
Restoring beneficial bacteria with probiotics and prebiotics.
Strengthening the immune system with vitamin complexes.

At home, it is allowed to use folk remedies to treat worms in children:

Before using folk recipes, consult a doctor, since a child’s body is weaker than an adult’s, and not every treatment method is suitable for him.

Prevention against helminths in children under 2 years of age and older is carried out periodically, in compliance with certain rules of behavior, since at such a young age children are inquisitive, touch many objects, and then put their hands in their mouths.

If you take precautions, problems with the appearance of worms are significantly reduced. But if they occur, surgical treatment will save the child from dangerous consequences.

Children need to be closely monitored and the basic rules of cleanliness should be instilled in them from an early age.