Worms in children: symptoms, treatment, prevention

Infection with helminthic invasions is a problem that is quite common in every country in the world. Almost every third inhabitant of the planet is a carrier of worms, and worms are even more common in children. If we take into account the statistics of only one country, more than two million worm cases have been registered. In reality, however, these numbers are much higher because people often do not seek help from doctors but try to get rid of the worms themselves.

And some patients simply don’t know about the condition because the disease is almost asymptomatic. If we draw a parallel between the annual sales of anthelmintics and the country’s population, there are about 22 million patients, nearly 80% of whom are young children.

To date, medicine is known for more than three hundred species of worms. Worms that affect the body, whose symptoms depend on the type of parasite and the number of invaded larvae, do not always give a vivid picture of the nature of the disease. To suspect a helminth infection, you should be aware of the signs and manifestations of the worms that may indicate that the parasites have entered the child’s body.

Types of worms

All known worms are generally classified into three main groups, as follows:

• Nematodes (roundworms). . . The class of parasites most commonly diagnosed in children. The group is represented by the following types:
  • tapeworms,
  • needle worms,
  • trichinella,
  • whipworms.
• Cestodes (flat tape parasites), are represented by the following types:
  • wide ribbon
  • echinococcus (swine tapeworm),
  • dwarf (rat) tapeworm,
  • bovine tapeworm (tapeworm).
• Trematodes (sucking parasites), the main members of this department are:
  • liverwort,
  • Siberian (cat) raccoon.

According to another classification, worms are divided into intestinal and extraintestinal parasites. The first group parasitizes only in the intestinal cavity, the second prefers other organs of the human body, such as the liver, heart, lungs, muscles, brain. Extraintestinal worms are able to penetrate the bloodstream, chew through the walls of the intestines and blood vessels, and travel through the bloodstream to their favorite habitat.

Factors contributing to the transmission of nematodes to children

• Lack of regular hand washing after using the toilet, after walking, before eating. Even cookies and sweets should not be given to a child without being asked to wash their hands in front of them.
• Rare lingerie change. Especially in summer, make sure your child changes clean sheets at least twice a day. It is important to teach him the morning toilet after sleep and in the evening before going to bed.
• The habit of taking everything in his mouth, sucking his fingers, licking toys, pencils and felt-tip pens.
• Presence of pets in the house who go for a walk on the street. Even if the dog is taken out on a leash and is strictly careful not to put anything in its mouth, the worms ’eggs can stick to its fur.
• Poorly washed vegetables and fruits before serving.
• Low standard of living, lack of cleanliness in the house, presence of flies, bugs and cockroaches.

Causes and mechanism of infection of children with worms

Of all the worms that settle in the human body, the nematodes dominate. Basically, in children, worms, the symptoms of which are well distinguishable, fungal and spindle worms, are much less commonly diagnosed as whipworms. Cases of infection with other species do not exceed 3%. This is because measles and tapeworms are more common in tropical climates and the infection occurs mainly in countries in tropical or subtropical areas.

In addition, because strip parasites can withstand fairly high temperatures, they are mainly infected by lovers of raw or raw meat and fish dishes. And of course, it is easy to catch worms if health standards and personal hygiene rules are not followed.

The mechanism of infection of nematodes and fungal worms is much simpler but also more common. Ignoring regular hand washing, careless handling of raw vegetables, herbs and berries. As well as direct contact with stray animals or carriers of worms.

The reinvasion of the pinworm species has also increased. This means that re-infection often occurs, which is done as follows:

• worms cause severe itching in the anus,
• children, combing itchy skin,
• while mushroom eggs fall on the patient's fingers and underwear,
• and by touching the door handles, pins, and other surfaces, the patient leaves wormwood on them,
• the eggs penetrate freely into the bodies of people living with the carrier and again into the patient himself.

The most dangerous places for tapeworms and fungal worms are:

• kindergartens,
• playgrounds,
• entertainment centers for children.

There is no escape from the fact that in the first years of life, every child tries to taste almost everything. It is a natural process of getting to know the world around you. By touching surfaces in crowded places, the baby will certainly pull his hand into his mouth, causing the worms to enter the body.

In addition, children with incomplete immune systems and weak protective barriers to the immature digestive system contribute to the infection. The risk of infection can only be reduced by forcing the baby to wash their hands constantly, as this can only become a habit in a child by the age of four, and not by everyone.

The increased morbidity of children is greatly facilitated by the blurred manifestation of symptoms and complex diagnostic methods. The clinical picture of the disease may be blurred, short-term, or completely absent. If a child experiences mild discomfort, few parents suspect worms and seek medical attention immediately. Most people choose to know enough to diagnose and prescribe treatment on their own, which will ultimately lead to the widespread spread of parasites and the infection of others.

Even the analysis of worm faeces and scraping enterobiasis does not always give a true picture of the disease. Helminth eggs may be unevenly distributed in the faeces and must be trapped in accordance with the rules for the uptake of analytical material, which are not known to everyone. Scraping can also be negative, as females do not lay eggs every day and need to be scraped at least three times at regular intervals for a reliable picture.

Common symptoms and signs of all helminths

The penetration of helminthic invasions into the body is not always accompanied by external symptoms. And in most cases, to a certain point, one does not notice the presence of parasites in the body at all. Some worms can live in humans for years without having a negative effect on their well-being and only activate their life activities under favorable conditions. This could be:

• weakening of the body due to other diseases,
• decrease in the activity of the immune system due to the negative effects of the environment,
• poor nutrition.

Not so long ago, there was a scientific theory about the effects of worms on the occurrence of many internal diseases. Which, however, did not find the right support, nor did it refute it.

But it is now reliably established that every human being carries a certain amount of bacteria, viruses, fungi, including helminths. And parasites don’t always behave in good neighborly direction to the owner. The continuous release of their toxic waste to humans gradually leads to deterioration and the development of various diseases.

The following symptoms indicate that the worms are active:

• Increased appetite with significant weight loss or loss of appetite and persistent nausea.
• Recurrent abdominal pain, a violation of stool formation manifested by constipation or diarrhea, ending in nausea, vomiting, headache, and dizziness that are permanent or intermittent.
• Hypersensitivity of the body to various substances and products.
• Deterioration of teeth and nails due to increased hair loss due to iron deficiency anemia and chronic vitamin B deficiency₁₂. . .
• Low resistance to respiratory diseases (adenoids in children) and inflammatory processes in the urogenital system.
• Increased irritability and tearing, insomnia and restless interrupted sleep, nightmares and unreasonable outbursts of anger, distracted attention and constant anxiety - all indicate that large amounts of toxic material produced by worms enter the bloodstream.
• Persistent anemia (low hemoglobin) and high eosinophil counts alert parents during a clinical blood test and force them to check for childhood worms. One of the most dangerous negative manifestations of the disease is developmental delay.
• Increased allergic reaction to prophylactic vaccines.

Specific symptoms of pinworms

Small but very fast-growing and hardy worms - pinworms - provoke the development of enterobiasis in a child. It is an unpleasant disease whose main symptom is severe, unbearable itching of the anus, which intensifies at night.

When a child becomes ill, mushroom eggs quickly spread to the surrounding objects, toys, clothes, utensils, and anything the baby touches. Pinworms feel great outside the human body and are able to withstand the effects of many disinfectants. It is guaranteed to destroy pinworm eggs only by boiling and ultraviolet radiation.

Enterobiasis infection occurs only through the mouth when a child takes dirty hands into their mouths or licks infected surfaces. Through the esophagus, fungal worms quickly penetrate the intestines and settle there and grow into adult, mature individuals in two weeks.

Severe itching characteristic of enterobiasis is due to irritation caused by fungal eggs. Its nocturnal strengthening can be explained by the fact that in a dream, anal sphincters relax a little and are not an insurmountable obstacle for an adult female who lays eggs and crawls solely to the surface. In a single vaccination, the needle worm can leave up to 5, 000 eggs in the skin of the anus.

Skin irritating fungi force the skin to comb, then penetrate under the nails, the skin of the hands, clothes and bedding. In addition to severe itching, the symptoms in children infected with fungi are as follows:

• Confused, restless sleep, often insomnia, nightmares.
• Stop growth and gain weight or even lose weight.
• Increased fatigue, nervousness, excessive excitement.
• Decreased attention and poor assimilation of new things, leading to delays in learning.
• In girls, urination may develop with irritation of the urethra. This results in involuntary urination at night.
• In addition, needles can penetrate the internal genitals, settle in the vaginal cavity (vulvovaginitis), and even reach the uterus and fallopian tubes, causing infection and causing inflammation.
• Accumulation of a large fungal colony in the caecal cavity can cause appendicitis.
• Gnashing of teeth at night has not been confirmed.
• The growth of fungal worms contributes to the development of diseases such as:
  • intestinal dysbiosis,
  • enterocolitis,
  • abdominal pain of unknown aetiology,
  • diarrhea,
  • constipation.
• Due to constant poisoning, the intestinal walls do not absorb nutrients, vitamins, and other substances normally, which ultimately causes a decrease in the functioning of the immune system. Because of this, children with pinworm worms become ill not only often but also severely.

Specific symptoms of ascaris (ascariasis)

According to statistics from recent surveys, the picture of infections caused by worms is quite alarming. The results show that more than 80% of preschool children have been infected with different types of worms at least once.

Unfortunately, many parents do not consider worms a serious illness and are extremely frivolous about it. But settled parasites not only deprive the body of essential nutrients, but can also infect many internal organs.

Representatives of such parasites are tapeworms, which cause ascariasis, the symptoms of which are much more severe than those of fungal worms. Although spindle worms and dumplings belong to the same class of worms, cylindrical worms can penetrate not only the intestines but also other organs and cause severe damage, such as:

• in the liver
• in the pancreas
• in the heart
• in the tissues of the brain
• in the gallbladder
• in the lungs.

Cylindrical worms only enter the body from the soil, but the provoking factors remain the same as for fungal worms, these are:

• non-compliance with hygiene rules,
• careless processing of vegetables, berries and herbs,
• non-compliance with security rules when working on a personal plot,
• unhealthy living conditions.

Once in the body, the nematodes adapt for a long time (3 months), they become mobile larvae, chew through the small intestine wall and blood vessels, and only then begin their migration to the favorite organs of the human body.

This period is characterized by manifestations such as:

• an increase in body temperature to 37. 5 ° C in the evening;
• frequent weakness and malaise;
• dry cough, sometimes accompanied by sputum with poorly isolated streaks of scarlet fever;
• obstructive bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pneumonia or pleurisy may occur;
• swelling of the lymph nodes;
• enlargement of the pancreas and liver.

The main symptom of primary ascariasis is a rash, like a hives that localizes on the hands and feet.

The further development of the disease, in which cylindrical worms return to the intestines, is characterized by disorders such as:

• diarrhea or constipation
• crampy abdominal pain
• frequent nausea, which sometimes leads to vomiting,
• bloating,
• anus irritation,
• significant weight loss.

At this stage, generalized poisoning is often caused by inflammation of the mouth and purulent lesions of the skin and mucous membranes. As a result, long-term poisoning of ascaris processing products leads to nervous and mental disorders, including:

• insomnia,
• nightmares
• epileptic seizures,
• hypotension.

Ascariasis is complicated by severe and dangerous pathologies such as:

• ileus,
• acute appendicitis,
• obstructive jaundice
• peritonitis.

Specific signs of damage caused by other types of worms

1. Vlasoglav (trichocephalosis)- characterized by mild symptoms. Signs of infection include diarrhea mixed with bloodstains, prolonged constipation, and frequent vomiting, which often leads to dehydration and anemia. Children with such lesions tend to lag significantly behind in growth and mental development.

2. Toxocariasis- in most cases, infants up to the age of 4 years are admitted in frequent contact with infected dogs or cats. Allergic reactions include itchy skin reactions, fever and chills, allergic cough (up to drowning), swollen face, lung mass, swollen lymph nodes and eye diseases.

3. Dwarf (rat) tapeworm- causes hymenolepiasis characterized by an asymptomatic latent course. With the development of helminthic colonies, the child causes dyspeptic disorders, pain syndrome, increased salivation, and frequent headaches. And all this gradually leads to diseases such as:

   • hives,
   • vasomotor or allergic rhinitis,
   • bronchospasm.

4. Siberian (cat) raccoon- opisthorchiasis, typical symptoms: fever, swollen lymph nodes, rash, pain in the right hypochondria and joints. Complications: dystrophic myocarditis, hepatitis, pneumonia, pancreatitis, severe gastritis.

5. Wide ribbon- diphyllobothriasis, a disease caused by tapeworm infection, the eggs or larvae of which may survive in raw meat or inadequately cooked meat. Intestinal disorders, pain syndrome and B₁₂incomplete anemia.

Methods of removing worms in children

The pharmaceutical industry today supplies pharmacies with many different types of anthelmintics. These can be targeted or broad-spectrum drugs. Unfortunately, most of them have a long list of negative side effects on the body. Therefore, if worms are found in a child, only one parasitologist will prescribe treatment after a thorough examination and all necessary examinations.

In addition, treating the disease caused by most worms requires not only the treatment of children’s worms with anthelmintic drugs, but also the treatment of antihistamines, vitamin therapy, and probiotics.

Antihistamines are needed to normalize the immune response. Vitamins and probiotics restore the loss of essential acids and normalize the intestinal microflora.

One of the least toxic drugs is a drug containing hexahydropyrazine. Therefore, it is more often recommended if the question is how to get rid of worms in young children. The medicine is not specifically made in tablets, but in the form of a suspension or syrup.

Many parents prefer traditional medicine. Indeed, pumpkin seeds and garlic enemas have an anthelmintic effect and are often used, for example, to treat ascariasis. But their use does not guarantee complete recovery. Therefore, to prevent relapse, it is better to take a medication prescribed by a doctor and record the result with any folk anthelmintic medication, otherwise the issue of removing worms will be repeated over and over again.

Preventive measures against worm infection

The inevitability of worms penetrating a child’s body cannot be considered an axiom. There are several rules for preventing worms that you can follow to easily protect your baby from this infection:

• Rinse raw vegetables, berries, herbs and fruits thoroughly under running water and pour over boiling water.
• Fish and meat dishes must be subjected to long-term heat treatment.
• Do not allow flies, cockroaches, bugs and mosquitoes to appear in the apartment or house.
• All pets should be given regular anthelmintics for prevention.
• Ask the child to wash their hands after contact with each animal.
• Allow the child to play and use only handled toys and objects.
• From the first steps, teach your child to wash their hands with soap and water after a wash, after a walk, after outdoor games, and before every meal.
• Never pull toys or other objects into your mouth or lick your fingers.
• Observe the condition of the child's nails.
• At night, put your baby in a tight sleepwear to prevent the spread of fungal worms.
• It is advisable not only to cook the children's underwear, but also to iron both sides.
• Teach your baby to change underwear in the morning and evening. It is advisable for the child to have a separate shelf in the closet where only their belongings will be stored.