What Are The Tests For Parasites In A Child?

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

What tests are carried out for parasites in children: effectiveness, delivery rules

Content

• 1 Signs of parasites in the body
• 2 Coprogram or study of feces for parasites
• 3 Scraping for enterobiasis
• 4 Complete blood count and biochemistry
• 5 Blood donation for parasites (ELISA)

Frequent colds, underweight, general weakness and moodiness - all this may indicate the presence of parasites in the child's body. If you suspect such a problem, it is imperative to undergo an examination in order to identify a possible type of "alien" and promptly start treatment.

Tests for parasites in a child are prescribed by a pediatrician or an immunologist, and parents should know the procedure and rules for submitting laboratory material.

Signs of parasites in the body

According to various sources, from 150 to 400 types of parasites can live in the human body. For some groups, we are an intermediate point, so adults are not detected. At the same time, even the larvae of such species cause a lot of discomfort and are the reason for the appearance of various ailments.

In children, parasite infection occurs much more often, because babies are more inclined to study the world around them, trying everything on their teeth. In addition, maintaining a high level of hygiene is not always possible even within your own home, let alone a playground, nursery or school.

The routes of infection are extremely diverse:

• When eating insufficiently washed fruits and vegetables;
• With insufficient heat treatment of products;
• If the rules of personal hygiene are not followed;
• Contact with pets and outdoor animals;
• From other children and adults infected with parasites;
• From surrounding objects, which may also contain eggs and larvae;

• When using shared bed linen and towels.

  

To find out exactly if a child has parasites, you need to pay attention to special signs. At the same time, the frequency and intensity of manifestations can be very different. In most cases, we may not even guess that the infection has already occurred, but the following signs indirectly indicate this.

Parasite infestation symptoms:

1. Change in appetite and eating habits. The child may refuse certain types of foods, as well as food in general. In the opposite situation, an increase in appetite occurs, but changes in weight indicators are imperceptible.
2. Digestive disorders, diarrhea or frequent constipation. If this happens all the time and the stool cannot improve in any way, you should definitely see a doctor. Such symptoms, in addition to parasitic invasions, can be a sign of other diseases.

3. Pale skin and general weakness. Dark circles under the eyes may appear, the baby is apathetic and inactive.

   

4. Persistent or recurrent abdominal pain. Usually, with helminthic infections, the area of pain localization is near the navel. However, other types of parasites can manifest themselves in different ways, and children are not always able to objectively formulate their complaints.
5. Itching around the anus, usually at night. There may also be redness and a rash on the pope and near the genitals. This does not rule out other conditions such as dermatitis, but it can also indicate a parasite infection.
6. Nausea, vomiting, and increased salivation. In some cases, fragments of parasites may be present in the vomit, which it is also desirable to collect for laboratory study.
7. Rash and allergic reaction for no apparent reason. The waste products of parasites gradually poison the body, contributing to the emergence of a response. If the child is already prone to allergies, it may worsen and include additional symptoms.

8. For children of the first two years, weight loss is characteristic. Parasites take away nutrients, so even with a good appetite and good nutrition, the child does not receive everything necessary for normal development.

   

Parasitic infections are extremely dangerous in childhood. Do not be frivolous about such symptoms. For a growing organism, the appearance of such "guests" is extremely undesirable and even dangerous. Settling in the body, parasites and their larvae consume all valuable substances, and also cause intoxication, poisoning the body with waste products.

In addition, different species can settle not only in the intestines, but also in other organs, disrupting their activity and leading to dysfunction. Especially dangerous is damage to the lymphatic system and the brain, in which irreversible consequences occur.

It is believed that parasitic infections can provoke the appearance of cancer, reducing the natural immune defense and leading to malfunctions in its work. In any case, it is necessary to get rid of such uninvited "neighbors", and in order to know exactly the enemy "by sight", special studies are carried out.

Coprogram or fecal test for parasites

The simplest and most common analysis is a laboratory study of feces. This analysis is mandatory when registering a child in child care, admission to a hospital and when monitoring a sick baby. It is done in laboratory conditions at a clinic or hospital, most often completely free of charge.

Delivery of the analysis has its own characteristics. The child should not be given fatty or heavy food on the stomach two days before stool collection. In addition, it is advisable to perform hygiene procedures in the morning, empty the bladder and wash the anus and genitals with warm water. Feces are collected in a disposable sterile container (sold in pharmacies), or a pre-sterilized jar with a hermetically sealed lid.

The feces must be delivered to the laboratory within an hour, if it is impossible - stored in the refrigerator for no more than 10 hours. After that, the accuracy of the survey is significantly reduced. The material is taken from different parts of the feces. In young children, feces are collected from the diaper. An older child should go to a pot previously washed without the use of chemicals.

The disadvantage of this survey method is its low information content. It will be most accurate to carry out three or four analyzes with breaks of two to three days.

Scraping for enterobiasis

This is also a procedure familiar to many parents. In the morning, using a sterile cotton swab, material is collected around the baby's anus. A completely painless and very informative manipulation will reveal the eggs of ascaris and pinworms, which adults are debugging at night in this area.

For an accurate diagnosis, it is also necessary to repeat the analysis several times. In this case, it is very important not to wash the child before the procedure.

Scraping for enterobiasis should be repeated every six months.

It is common practice to pass this analysis when visiting kindergarten after a temporary absence (more than a month). The disadvantages of this method is that it is not informative for the recognition of other types of parasites, for which laying eggs outside is uncharacteristic.

Complete blood count and biochemistry

Important indicators of possible malfunctions in the body. In the general analysis, you can see a possible inflammatory process (another cause of the disease), as well as hemoglobin values, which are usually reduced with parasitic infections.

Biochemical analysis will help to identify the presence of special substances - eosinophils. They are formed in response to allergic reactions, but often a large amount in the blood indicates the presence of parasites in the body.

Blood donation for parasites (ELISA)

Usually, blood for parasites in children is taken to determine the enzyme immunoassay. This is a detailed analysis of venous blood, which allows you to determine parasitic infection by different types, even with minimal damage.

The main indicator is the presence of a reaction and the qualitative value of the IgM immunoenzyme. Normally, it is absent at all, and by its values one can determine the type of parasitic infection. This enzyme determines the presence of antibodies in the body, produced in response to parasite toxins.

It is necessary to donate blood on an empty stomach (a small amount of still water is allowed). For a week, or preferably two before the test, you must stop taking medications that may affect the diagnosis. Re-delivery is carried out two weeks after the start of treatment. If the indicator has halved, or is absent altogether, the treatment was successful. To exclude re-infection, it will be necessary to retake the ELISA again after six months.

In addition, the analysis data may be blurred due to taking some medications or after an illness, which must be taken into account when preparing before delivery. In addition, the test is usually done for children six years of age and older due to the high amount of antibodies in the blood of a young child.

This is the necessary protection of the body, adapting to the conditions of the formation of internal organs and systems. In any case, a qualified pediatrician or immunologist will advise which tests to take for a child for parasites for a particular age and characteristics.

To exclude a parasitic infection, you need to know what tests you need to take your child for parasites. It is also very important to follow the rules for collecting the test material.

Some tests need to be repeated several times, because a single test may not provide complete information. The peculiarities of examining children for parasites, as well as important nuances of this process, are discussed in our article.