Intestinal Worms In Children

Worm infection or commonly called worms include the infection is caused by the parasite and this will lead to children health issues. Parasites are small creatures that invade the body of its host by attaching themselves (either outside or inside the body) and take the nutrients from its host body. In the case of worms, the worms can even weaken the host's body and cause health problems.

Worms usually occurs due to lack of awareness of good hygiene to self or to the environment. Worms can be transmitted by the larvae / eggs & ingested into the body. Worms are invertebrates animals & long oval shaped that originated from eggs / larvae to turn into adult worms form. Worms can infect any part of the lived body as the skin, muscle, lung, or colon / digestive tract.

There are different types of worms that can harm our health, but most worms that attack humans are caused by the following types :

 

1. Pinworms

Pinworms or commonly referred to as pinworm is a worm which frequently infects children. This worm is very small (about 1 cm), pale, usually infects the intestinal organs. Pinworm infection is usually through a worm eggs finger drawn by children at play. Worm eggs can survive in the skin of children for long hours & can survive for 3 weeks on clothing, toys & bed. If the finger is no worm eggs into the mouth, the worm eggs will go into the body.

2. Roundworms

Roundworms are large worms, can infect humans or animals (cats / dogs), its shape resembling earthworms & live in the colon and can migrate to other organs including the lungs.

3. Tapeworm

Tapeworm can be found in animals like the cow / pig. Shaped like a long flat ribbon. Can be found in meat not cooked to perfection. This tapeworm cover other organs such as muscle, skin, heart, eyes & brains. Iinfeksi tapeworms may occur through consumption of food / meat that contained eggs / larvae of the tapeworm or through food, water or soil contaminated with feces containing eggs / larvae of the worm.

Symptoms of Intestinal Worms  

In general worms have the following symptoms :

• Itching around the anus or vulva (female genitals). These symptoms will worsen at night when pinworms usually will come out of the body surface to lay its eggs around the anus / vulva. Worms also usually be seen in the stool.
• Pain in the abdominal area. Tapeworms can cover the area of ​​muscle, skin, heart, eyes & brains.
• Vision problems if there is in the eye by causing inflammation & injury to the retina of the eye. Roundworms can also be moved into the lungs causing a cough & asthma, and cause swelling in other organs.

In addition to the above, other symptoms that may arise are: Nausea, Weakness, Loss of appetite, abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight decrease due to insufficient absorption of nutrients from food.

In more advanced infections when the worms had migrated from the intestine to other organs, causing damage to organs & tissues, symptoms may arise: fever, A lump in the organ / tissue is, Can an allergic reaction to larval worms, bacterial infections, Seizures or neurological symptoms when the brain is affected organs.

Treatment of Intestinal Worms  

Drugs that have the effect as an anti-parasitic worms can be used for the treatment of this, there are two types of drugs commonly used are:

1. Pirantel pamoic, The dose for the treatment of intestinal worms are not yet known type is:Adult / children: 10 mg / kg, administered in single doses.
2. Mebendazole, The dose for the treatment of intestinal worms are not yet known type, similar to the above doses, namely: Adult / children: 10 mg / kg, administered in single doses.

If your family is exposed to intestinal worms, treatment should also be given to all family members to prevent / be aware of the occurrence of these worms. During the treatment period to avoid transmission of worms to other family members by washing hands with soap every discharged into the toilet or before touching food, also to avoid touching the mouth with unwashed hands.

Prevent Worms Come Again    

Maintaining personal hygiene is one key to preventing the onset of worms again. Here are some things to do, namely:

• Be sure to always wash hands with soap before meals / each out of the toilet.
• Keep your finger nails to keep it clean & well maintained.
• Avoid nail biting / scratching the anus (particularly for pinworm infection).  
• Get used to always shower in the morning (especially if the pinworm infection).
• Get used to open the bedroom window all day, because the worm eggs are sensitive to sunlight (especially for pinworms).
• Always keep the cleanliness of food consumed.
• Get used to always consume meat that has been cooked to perfection.

Children health issues can be overcome if we know the causes, symptoms and treatment.     

Source : medicastore.com