Worms In Infants: Symptoms, Treatment And Prevention Measures

2023 Author: Riley Dean | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 09:15

Actively learning about the world, the baby is faced with the first threats to his health. Invisible sources of danger live in the environment, when they enter the intestines, they begin to grow and multiply, due to human nutrients. Helminths are parasitic organisms that easily penetrate both the body of an adult and a child. In children, infection occurs much more often, in the process of development, the baby gets acquainted with the world around him. Parents should know how to identify and successfully cure worms in infants, ridding the body of parasites.

Content

1. The main routes of infection
2. Infection methods
3. Varieties of parasites
4. Symptoms
5. Signs of enterobiasis (pinworm infection)
6. Signs of invasion with ascariasis:
7. Treatment
8. Preventive measures:

The main routes of infection

The methods of penetration of helminth larvae or eggs are the same for adults and children. Parasitic organisms are characterized by high properties to maintain viability for a long period. Microscopic dimensions do not allow viewing without special equipment. To activate and grow, helminths begin only after falling into favorable conditions - the baby's intestines.

Infection methods

• the main sources are pets, even if there is no direct contact, an adult who has not washed his hands in a timely manner can become a guide;
• violation of the rules of preparation, already from 5-6 months, compotes, mashed potatoes, raw vegetables and fruits must be thoroughly washed into the baby's diet;
• lack of hygiene standards, after each diaper change, visiting a public place, you must wash your hands thoroughly;
• dirty toys, household items;
• personal hygiene items (soap, washcloth, towel) for the baby should be individual.

The main sources that endanger the health of the baby are adults. Neglect of a simple rule - washing your hands after the street, going to the store, restroom, becomes the main cause of infection. Treatment of worms in an infant occurs in parallel with the treatment of the whole family, otherwise there is a high probability of re-infection.

Varieties of parasites

There are several types of helminths, but pinworms and roundworms are more common in infants. They belong to the group of round worms that live in the soil, fresh water bodies, the sea, and are found throughout the environment.

The most common type of helminth in babies is pinworms. They look like white worms, the size does not exceed 1-2 cm. Adults lay eggs near the anus. If all hygiene rules are followed, the parasites die on their own within a month.

Also often found in children under one year of roundworm. The size does not exceed 0.5 cm, they are especially fertile, the female can lay more than 200 thousand eggs per day. The most comfortable habitat is soil. The route of infection is oral, that is, through the mouth. The source can be unwashed vegetables, fruits, animals, as well as all family members in contact with a baby.

Symptoms

It is difficult to determine the invasion (introduction) of helminths in children under one year old. Parents should be alerted by a number of symptoms of worms in an infant, unusual for the healthy state of the baby.

Signs of enterobiasis (pinworm infection)

• itching and pain in the anus, the baby may scream and cry when changing a diaper, washing, in some cases small wounds form;
• an allergy appears in the form of a rash and irritation on the skin;
• pinworms in infants lead to inflammation of the external genital organs - redness, swelling;
• signs of worms in newborns lead to disruption of digestive processes - vomiting, nausea, diarrhea;
• weight loss is observed due to the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, minerals by worms;
• the baby is often naughty, crying, sleep is disturbed, the usual regime gets lost.

A dangerous consequence of infection is a toxic and allergic effect that provokes growth and development retardation. Being in the intestine, in the absence of treatment, parasites begin to migrate to other organs - the liver, bladder, disrupting their functioning. Parents may confuse the symptoms of enterobiasis in an infant with dysbiosis, teething. You need to tell the pediatrician about the changes in the baby's behavior.

Signs of invasion with ascariasis:

• weakness, malaise, fever up to 38 °;
• urticaria appears on the skin;
• dry or coughing up phlegm, difficulty breathing;
• disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, unstable stool, change in appetite;
• the main symptoms of worms in an infant are general weakness, malaise, sleep disturbances, and in some cases, convulsions.

Treatment

To diagnose an infection with helminths, it is necessary to pass several tests. Feces for eggs, worms and scraping for enterobiasis are examined three times with an interval of several days to confirm the results. The purpose of the method is to capture the moment of reproduction in order to make a diagnosis.

The well-known pediatrician Komarovsky recommends treating worms in infants only after a diagnosis is made. The emerging signs of worms in newborns should force the parents to consult a doctor for a complete examination of the baby.

Treatment of worms in an infant is under the supervision of a doctor. Only a doctor, based on the child's anamnesis, can select the most effective and safe drugs.

Parents should strictly follow the therapy regimen.

For the treatment of pinworms, drugs such as Piperazine, Pirantel, Mebendazole, Wormin, Vermox, Levamisole are used (has the properties of an immunomodulator). When symptoms of enterobiasis are detected in an infant, only the doctor determines the dosage, advises the menu for the duration of treatment. Children up to six months receive their usual food - breast milk or artificial. During therapy, in children of the older age group, meat, cookies, and bread are removed from the diet.

Treatment of ascariasis - Dekaris is prescribed (10 mg per kg of body weight) during meals, worms in infants are successfully removed in 80-100% of cases. Control tests are scheduled one month after undergoing therapy.

Traditional methods of treatment do not affect the formation of immunity, have a gentle effect on the body. For the treatment of enterobiasis and ascariasis, a decoction of wormwood is used. Having prepared and filtered the broth, give the baby an enema in the evening, after the last feeding. Repeat the procedure for 3 days. Pumpkin seeds help, you can prepare a weak broth and water the baby 2-3 teaspoons during the day.

Preventive measures:

• hygiene procedures are regularly carried out, washing children under running water in the morning and evening;
• before breastfeeding, a woman should wash her hands, and also during the day before taking the baby in her arms;
• thorough washing of products;
• a ban on communicating with yard animals, pets must undergo antiparasic therapy;
• artificial feeding involves the use of high-quality boiled water, daily sterilization of the bottle;
• meat and fish should be heat treated for at least half an hour.