Parasites that have settled in the human body strive to gain access to vitamins and nutrients while releasing toxins.The symptoms of a parasite infestation are not always specific;They can be confused with the manifestation of other diseases.
Common signs in this case: weakness, excessive tiredness, loss or increase in appetite, severe hunger pangs, muscle pain and indigestion.
Other signs of the presence of worms include various allergic reactions in the form of skin rashes, itchy dermatoses, eczema, reduced hemoglobin levels, immune defenses, increased occurrence of viral and bacterial diseases, groundless anxiety, nervous system disorders and sleep disorders.When a child is sick, he or she may experience the following symptoms:
- weight loss;
- delay in intellectual and physical development;
- Attacks of headaches.
If the above symptoms are detected, you cannot start self-treatment: this is dangerous to your health, and there is also a possibility that the disease is not related to worms.
Enterobiasis
The cause of this disease is pinworms - small white worms.They are considered the most common helminth infection in many industrialized countries around the world.Very often, helminths are diagnosed in children of preschool and primary school age.
Pinworms live in the human colon.When the patient sleeps, the female parasite leaves him through the anus and begins to lay eggs on the skin near the anus.After a few hours, the worms can infect another person.
Eggs can be stored on underwear, bedding, clothing and toys for up to 14 days.If a person does not follow the rules of personal hygiene, he can easily become infected with pinworms.
The main symptoms of enterobiasis are itching near the anus, which usually occurs in the evening and at night.If the infestation is mild, the patient may not notice the signs;As the number of parasites increases, the itching becomes so painful that the patient may scratch the skin until it bleeds and the affected areas become painful and inflamed.
In young children, the characteristic manifestations of enterobiasis are:
- sleep disorder;
- Moodiness;
- Irritability;
- Enuresis.
If no treatment is given, symptoms worsen.
Ascariasis
Ascaris is a round worm 15 to 40 cm long.The female parasite lays eggs in the intestinal lumen, from where they enter the environment and the soil and are excreted in the feces.Infection is promoted by consuming contaminated fruit, vegetables and drinking water.This disease is more common in children aged 5 to 10 years.
It usually takes around 2-3 weeks from infection to the appearance of the first symptoms.Ascariasis initially occurs in the form of an allergic disease.
In preschool children, the acute phase begins with an increase in body temperature to 37-37.5 degrees, skin rashes, disturbed bowel movements, abdominal pain and nausea.
If the parasite infestation becomes chronic:
- the child complains of periodic pain around the navel;
- his appetite decreases;
- The stool becomes unstable and sometimes constipation occurs.
Antiparasitic and symptomatic treatment is indicated.
Giardiasis
Giardia worms are protozoa;There is a suction disc on the front of their body that helps it cling to the walls of the intestinal epithelium.The parasite has no mouth;it feeds on dissolved nutrients.The incubation period of the disease is 7 to 20 days.
The parasite infestation begins acutely;A person has watery stools with an unpleasant odor and traces of fat.After that, pain occurs in the abdominal cavity, belching occurs, appetite decreases, and vomiting and nausea may occur from time to time.
The initial phase lasts up to 7 days;In many cases, all symptoms of invasion resolve spontaneously after 1-4 weeks.
If blastocyst invasion is detected, it may cause discoloration of the stool and the appearance of streaks of blood and mucus.Symptomatic treatment is also required.
Toxocariosis
Toxocara are large dioecious helminths measuring 18 cm in length.The average duration of their life cycle is 4 months and the maximum duration is six months.The main source of infection is dogs, most commonly puppies.A person gets sick after:
- direct contact with a sick animal;
- Soil entering the mouth containing parasite eggs.
Children are susceptible to infection while playing with a dog or in the sand, adults through contact in the household with an infectious animal (dog breeders, veterinarians, utility workers).Another common cause of toxocariasis is eating raw or poorly processed meat.
Such a parasite infestation can occur suddenly or after a temporary illness.Signs of invasion in this case: increased body temperature, itchy rashes, significant enlargement of lymph nodes.
Mild fever with a prolonged spread can last for several months.In the acute stage of the disease, the person experiences symptoms of bronchitis, pneumonia and severe asthma attacks.
Signs of infection in a sick child: weakness in the body, fatigue, difficulty sleeping and unusual excessive nervousness.If adequate and timely treatment is not provided, toxocariosis leads to serious and dangerous complications:
- Hepatitis;
- retinal damage;
- pathologies of the nervous system;
- allergic reactions.
With proper treatment, the prognosis is always favorable.
Prevention methods
The most important ways to prevent parasite infestation are:
- careful adherence to personal hygiene rules;
- drink only boiled water, well-washed vegetables and fruits;
- Eating fresh, adequately fried and cooked meat.
It is equally important to teach the child not to eat food from the ground, not to put dirty objects in his mouth and to deworm pets in a timely manner.Doctors also recommend not letting children play in open sandboxes, as such places often serve as toilets for cats and dogs.
You should know that there are some medicinal plants that can increase the body's resistance to helminth attacks, neutralize toxins and eliminate signs of illness.These plants include black walnut, wormwood, grapefruit, pumpkin seeds and cloves.This treatment is available to everyone, it has a general strengthening effect and does not cause any side effects in the body.