Exposed Recognize And Treat Worm Diseases

A little dirt doesn’t hurt children, but sometimes “the worm is in it”. And every now and then, dirty fingers wander into the mouth. This is one reason why children in particular are often plagued by worms.

Petting animals, nibbling ripe fruit from bushes and trees, or turning a sand mold into a drinking cup – when playing outside, children can come into contact with small parasites practically everywhere. Most of the time, it is the simple pinworms (oxyurans) with which they become infected. Often only a few eggs are swallowed by a child, but they multiply in the digestive tract within two weeks: At night, the female pinworms crawl out of the anus and lay their approximately 10,000 eggs around the anus. They then die. Their larvae develop in four to eight hours and are then contagious.

Itching And Pinching

It is logical that a worm infestation in the intestine is itchy and troublesome. Parents may immediately become suspicious if their child repeatedly scratches his or her bottom or slides back and forth on the stool. However, a worm infestation can only rarely become dangerous for children, for example, if a large number of worms threatens intestinal obstruction. In some cases, the intestine or the intestinal region becomes inflamed. Parents can tell whether their child is actually infested with worms by looking at their offspring’s stool. Although this is unappetizing, the thin, white worms, which are about one centimeter in size, become visible there. Some fallen eggs and worms lie in the pajamas or bedding.

Proper Deworming

Whether confirmed at home or not, parents should take their child to a pediatrician or adolescent doctor if they suspect a worm disease. The doctor will take an anal swab, which involves sticking a strip of tape to the skin of the anus. Under the microscope, the doctor can detect the worm eggs. As a therapy, he prescribes a worm treatment, which the child can take as lozenges, tablets, or juice. The child may have to repeat the treatment after a few days to be rid of the worms once and for all. By the way, a worming cure is recommended for all family members. Since the transmission routes within the family are short, the worms can quickly pass on to another person.

Of course, medication against worm infestation is only effective if the child is not re-infected. This is because the worm eggs get back onto the fingers and under the nails when the child scratches and itches. If the child then touches its mouth again, it becomes infected again and the worm infestation is maintained. Affected children should therefore wash their hands thoroughly on a regular basis, especially after going to the toilet and before eating. It is also advisable to trim fingernails, change clothing and bed linen daily and boil them.

How To Prevent?

Children who play outside a lot should wash their hands between meals, especially before eating.
They should always wash fruits, vegetables and lettuce well before eating them.
Special care should be taken with sandboxes and playgrounds that could serve as dog or cat litter boxes.
Deworm your own pets regularly.

Good To Know:

• Roundworms are transmitted via feces and dirt, unwashed fruits and vegetables.
• 15 – 35 centimeters long, whitish worms.
• Reside in the small intestine.
• Symptoms: no symptoms in case of low infestation, otherwise abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, severe weight loss, in some cases ravenous appetite.