Worms in children are quite serious problem for parents as well as for the children. This is because worms eat up all the nutrients that a child is supplied with. The child remains malnourished and the worms become healthy!
There are many reasons that can cause the worms in the child. They require immediate attention and should be treated as early as possible. Under this situation, November 1 has been declared as National de-worming day. On this day children of 6 to 12 years of age will receive one de-worming tablet.
Globally, up to 400 million children suffer unnecessarily from intestinal worms, but fewer than 20 percent of at-risk children reach with de-worming treatment. Left untreated, intestinal worms cause severe disability and sometimes even death.
More than 100 types of parasite worms can live happily in human bodies. Some parasites are big in size that can be seen by eyes, while the others are microscopic in size. Parasites can range from tiny amoebas which are visible only under a microscope to tapeworms 3-30 feet in length. Do not think that they are present only in stomach and digestive tract, but they can inhabit in the bloodstream, muscle tissue, brain and the heart and other organs.
How parasites infest people?
Parasites can enter our bodies through food, water, mosquito bites, or through the nose and skin. Pinworm eggs can enter our mouth by fingers, clothing and bed linen.
Types of parasite worms
Parasites may be categorised into four types: Protozoa, Trematoda, Cestoda, and Nematoda.
Nematodes include common roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, pinworm, heart worm, etc.
Round worm is very common. Approximately 1000 million people are infected worldwide. They cause pain in upper abdomen, asthma, eye pain, insomnia, rashes. They can also cause blockages in the intestinal tract, loss of appetite, appendicitis, abscesses in the liver etc.
Hook worm use patient’s blood. The symptoms include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, craving to eat soil, iron and protein deficiency, dry skin and hair, skin irritations, delayed puberty, mental dullness etc. In acute cases, it can cause cardiac failure and death.
Pin worm or Threadworm (Enterobius vermicularis) are the most common worm. About 500 million people specially children are infected worldwide by threadworm.
The symptoms of pinworms include itching and irritation in the anus or vagina, digestive disorders, insomnia, irritation or nervousness. The worms come out of the anal opening to lay eggs at night. The eggs can pass to others through air or by direct contact, through contaminated food, toys etc. The eggs are not affected by disinfectants.
Whip worm infect several hundred million worldwide. The symptoms of whip worms are bloody stools, pain in the lower abdomen, weight loss, nausea, and anemia.
Tapeworm usually produce no symptoms. They are detected in the stool sample. The infected person may have dizziness, vomiting, hunger or loss of appetite or weight loss.
Symptoms of worm / parasite infestation
Symptoms of worm or parasite infestation include extreme skin rashes with blisters, food allergies or sensitivities, anemia due to blood loss, Iron deficiency, constipation, gas and stomach bloating, fatigue, tiredness, depression, lack of concentration, nervousness, anxiety and restlessness.
Note that these symptoms may be due to other reasons also.
Symptoms of worm / parasite infestation in children
Symptoms of worm or parasite infestation in children include blisters on the inside of the lower lip, restlessness at night, grinding of the teeth at night, dark circles under the eyes, hyperactivity, bed wetting, headaches, sensitive to light, twitching eyelid, gum, rectum or nose bleeding, itchy feeling around anus, inflammation of the vagina in girls and women.
Note that these symptoms may be due to other reasons also.
Prevention and treatment of worms in children
The best treatment is giving any anti helminthic form of syrup or tablet. The dosage and frequency is to be decided by paediatrician. Following measures should be taken to prevent worm:
1)Personal cleanliness and maintenance of hygiene
2)Sanitary practice designed to prevent soil and person to person transmission
3)Wearing shoes is one of the main preventive strategy
4)Children should be discouraged from putting dirty fingers in their mouth and eating dirt
5)Keeping dogs on leashes
6) Keep fingernails short and well scrubbed
7) The food and water is to be pure, fresh and should not be contaminated
8) Child’s bed sheets, towels and clothes are to be washed with disinfectants. The child or baby should not be allowed to play in sands and soils. The anal region is to be washed very thoroughly and any particle of stool should not remain there.
In order to maintain the above things, people have to realise about the harmful effects of worms. Not only the government, but also people of all corners should come forward to make our child worm free.
National De-worming Day
Dr Abu Sayeed Shimul
Source: The Daily Star, November 01, 2008
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