How to treat pinworms in children - causes of the disease, symptoms, prevention

A child learns about the world from the moment he begins to crawl on his own. His immune system has not yet been strengthened enough, but the baby can easily taste all unfamiliar objects. With such actions, not only harmful bacteria, but also parasites can penetrate into the unformed body. Most often these are pinworms - helminths that not only cause inconvenience, but can also cause serious illness. How to treat pinworms in children?

What are pinworms in children?

Infection with worms is often caused by eating unwashed fruits.

Enterobiasis is a disease caused by the appearance of pinworms in the small and large intestines of the body. Pinworms are also called worms. These parasites look like small white worms. They are small in size: females up to 1.5 cm, and males up to 5 mm. Their color is always white. The habitat in the human body is the intestines, but there are exceptions when they live in other organs. The female parasite reproduces quite quickly. Every day at night, she can lay eggs near the anus or in the folds of the skin. The affected areas may be the perineum.

During the process of the emergence of worm embryos, the child experiences severe itching as the infected area of ​​the skin becomes vulnerable. Nematodes mature quite quickly and penetrate the intestine and attach themselves to the intestinal walls. After the female has laid eggs, she dies. Girls have a hard time coping with this disease. Worms, crawling out, can penetrate the mucous membrane of the external genitalia, causing additional infections. This does not mean that the disease does not need to be treated. During a short lifespan, a female can lay many eggs. The disease is gaining new momentum and the baby’s condition is worsening.

If no treatment is given, the parasite dies after 50 days.

Opisthorchiasis

Opistorchis felineus – cat fluke (Siberian fluke). This is a small fluke, 8-13 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, the body is narrowed towards the head end. The trematode has two fixing suckers - on the oral end and the abdomen. The eggs are yellowish in color with a cap at one pole and contain an embryo - a miracidium.

Routes of infection>/h4>

• Eating raw or poorly cooked fish contaminated with fluke cercariae.

Life cycle

Sexually mature opisthorchises parasitize the hepatic bile ducts, gall bladder and pancreatic ducts. The definitive host releases eggs into the external environment with feces. Further development of the embryo in the egg is possible only in water, where it is swallowed by the freshwater mollusk Bithynia inilata

.
In the intestine of the mollusk, the miracidium emerges from the egg, penetrates the body cavity and after 3-4 weeks turns into a sac-like sporocyst, in which many redia develop. The redia emerge from the sporocyst, migrate to the liver of the mollusk and continue development there - new generations of cercariae are formed. Cercariae emerge from the mollusk, float freely in the water and actively invade an additional host - fish
, located in the subcutaneous layer of muscles. In the muscles, the cercariae are encapsulated and after a few weeks turn into metacercariae. Metacercariae in the intestine of the definitive host migrate to the bile ducts, where after 10-12 days they develop into adults and release eggs.

Definitive owner

– humans and carnivorous predators (cats, dogs, foxes, wolves, muskrats, minks, sable, arctic fox, etc.)

Intermediate host

– freshwater mollusks Bithynia inilata.

Reservoir master

– freshwater fish (cyprinids – roach, bream, carp, dace, ide, chebak, etc.)

Ways of infection by pinworms

It is easy for a child to become infected with such a disease. He leads an active lifestyle, learning new things and playing with other children and animals. A baby can “catch” parasites in several ways:

1. Oral. The child scratches the anus and parasite eggs get under the nails. Anything that the baby touches with his hands can be a site of infection.
2. Bytovym. After contact with dirty toys, after eating dirty vegetables. This method is the most common. Pinworm larvae remain on the hands and, once they enter the oral cavity, they easily reach a favorable habitat.
3. Contact. Favorite pets are the main breeding grounds for worms. Children love to play with them and often do not wash their hands after contact.

The most common cause is failure to maintain normal hygiene. Dirty hands, stale linen, close contact with mucous membranes have a beneficial effect on the appearance of enterobiasis. By teaching your child to be clean, you can protect him from many infections and helminth infections.

Signs of pinworms in children

Maintaining personal hygiene - preventing enterobiasis

If a parent notices such symptoms in their child, this may serve as the appearance of “unwanted guests” in the young body:

1. Itching in the anal area. This indicates that the female is already laying eggs. Most often, this symptom intensifies at night, when the body is at rest.
2. Mechanical damage to the skin in the buttocks area. It is impossible to stop yourself from scratching the infected area. Babies can scratch their skin until it bleeds. This can cause additional complications in the form of infections and inflammation.
3. Disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. This symptom indicates that the child has been sick for quite a long time and a large number of helminths live in his body.
4. Nervous system disorder. Restless sleep, irritability, and headache can become symptoms of life activity in the intestines of worms.
5. Vomiting, pale skin, nausea, fever, dizziness. These are symptoms of intoxication caused by the active work of pinworms. The waste that parasites produce is toxic and spreads throughout the body.
6. Detection of mucus in stool. Mucus is the toxic waste of the parasite. It is released and enters the intestines. Detection of “white threads” in the stool. These are the very “worms”. If parents have not identified them in their child’s excrement, this does not mean that he is not sick. The female may not lay eggs every day.

These symptoms cause loss of appetite, resulting in weight loss. Toxic substances secreted by worms most affect the nervous system.

A sick child sleeps poorly, is irritable, pale, motionless, and refuses to eat.

Disease prevention

To prevent a child from becoming infected with parasites, he needs to instill personal hygiene skills and ensure that:

• his nails were trimmed;
• he had no contact with street animals;
• did not put dirty objects into his mouth. Source: Clinical recommendations (treatment protocol) for providing medical care to children with enterobiasis, Federal State Budgetary Institution Scientific Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, Public organization "Eurasian Society for Infectious Diseases", Public organization "Association of Infectious Disease Doctors of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region" (AVISPO)

If you suspect enterobiasis in a child, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible and undergo a course of treatment. You can make an appointment with a medical pediatrician 24 hours a day by phone or leave a request to have a doctor come to your home.

Sources:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2306321/JP Caldwell Pinworms (Enterobius Vermicularis) Can Fam Physician. 1982 Feb; 28: 306–309.
2. R.A. Fayzullina, E.A. Samorodnova, V.M. Dobrokvashina Helminth infections in childhood // Practical Medicine, 3(42) May 2010.
3. Clinical recommendations (treatment protocol) for the provision of medical care to children with enterobiasis FGBU NIIDI FMBA RUSSIA, Public organization "Eurasian Society for Infectious Diseases", Public organization "Association of Infectious Disease Doctors of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region" (AVISPO)

Markova Daria Olegovna Clinic

Author of the article

Markova Daria Olegovna

Specialty: pediatrician

Experience: 15 years

The information in this article is provided for reference purposes and does not replace advice from a qualified professional. Don't self-medicate! At the first signs of illness, you should consult a doctor.

Diagnosis of enterobiasis in children

Some believe that infection occurs from pets

If they detect signs of pinworms in their children, parents contact their pediatrician. He, in turn, can prescribe an examination himself, or send him for a consultation with a gastroenterologist and parasitologist. First of all, the specialist will conduct a survey, including basic questions to determine a possible diagnosis. Key questions will include:

1. Main complaints
2. First symptoms and when they appeared
3. How many family members have similar symptoms?
4. Does the family practice good hygiene?

The next step will be to assign research:

• Examination of feces. The laboratory takes a stool test for worm eggs. For the analysis to be reliable, it is necessary to take the biomass to the laboratory within an hour after defecation. It is necessary to prevent urine from coming into contact with feces. Analysis from different parts of the stool is collected in a disinfected container. 2 teaspoons are enough for an accurate diagnosis. If the basic rules are not followed, the result may be unreliable.
• Scraping in the anal area. The study is carried out in the morning. The patient should not go to the toilet before this and should not wash himself. The procedure is quite simple: a special film is applied to the skin area. Helminth eggs stick to it, which can be detected under a microscope.
• Blood tests. A general blood test is done. In the presence of enterobiasis, eosinophilia is detected - an increase in eosinophils in the blood. In rare cases, anemia is detected, a decrease in hemoglobin and red blood cells. This disease can be caused by a large number of helminths and a simultaneous infectious disease

If there are any signs of enterobiasis, it is recommended to immediately visit a doctor and undergo the necessary tests. Timely detection and treatment of the disease eliminates the development of complications.

Basic questions about deworming kittens

At what age can a kitten be wormed?

The first deworming of an animal can be done when it reaches 3 weeks of age. To prevent endoparasites from developing in the baby’s body in the future, it is necessary to carry out treatment every 3–4 months. If you neglect this rule, after a while your pet runs the risk of becoming infected with helminths again. To prescribe an exact treatment and prevention regimen, calculate the correct dosage and select an anti-worm drug, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian. The specialist will examine the animal and give the necessary recommendations, if followed, your pet will be healthy and happy.

Which form of deworming drug should I choose for my kitten?

As a rule, it is recommended to use medications in the form of suspensions for kittens. So, from 3 weeks of age you can make a choice in favor of such products as Dironet and Dironet Junior. These are complex anthelmintic drugs AVZ, which are based on several substances that act on round and tapeworms. If your baby tends to be capricious during procedures, showing aggression, you can stop with drops on the withers. Among them, we can highlight the broad-spectrum drug Dironet Spot-on, which is used for kittens from 2 months.

If you plan to get vaccinated?

Deworming before vaccination is a mandatory measure. It is necessary to eliminate the negative impact of parasites on the animal’s body and reduce the risk of complications after vaccination. As a preventive measure, anthelmintic drugs for kittens are given once 10–14 days before vaccination. It is believed that during this period the body restores its immune status after suffering parasitosis. To speed up this process, you can use particularly mild antiparasitic agents, for example, Dironet Junior. It stimulates the immune system and can significantly reduce the waiting period.

The kitten weighs little. How to calculate the dose of the drug?

Before using the drug, you should carefully read the instructions, which indicate the required dosage per 1 kg of animal body weight. When treating cats weighing less than 0.5 kg, you can dilute the amount of suspension collected according to the instructions with water to limit the loss of the substance during administration. To calculate the exact dosage, be sure to consult a veterinarian. He will weigh the baby and help carry out deworming correctly.

Treatment of pinworms in children

This is what pinworms look like

It is not recommended to treat pinworms yourself. Parents should definitely seek advice from a doctor. After the examination, a professional will prescribe effective treatment that will help in recovery and will not cause additional harm to health. Experts recommend:

• Maintain hygiene rules for the whole family. Wash your hands before and after eating, and after visiting the toilet.
• Wash your face morning and evening.
• Wet cleaning.
• Bed linen must be clean and ironed. Heat treatment kills helminth eggs.
• Underwear should be changed every day. Wash in hot water and be sure to iron

The most common drugs for the treatment of helminths are:

1. Vermox and Medamin. Medicines in tablet form. Prescribed for the whole family. Suitable for children from 2 years old. Has a paralyzing effect on parasites. Dead pinworms leave the body in the stool.
2. Piperapzine. The doctor sets the dosage depending on the patient’s age. The medicine has an inhibitory effect on helminths. As a result, parasites cannot remain inside the intestines.
3. Pirantel. The tablets actively cope with the disease, regardless of its development. The dosage varies depending on age.
4. Pyrvinium pamoate. Suspension effective against pinworms. The drug blocks the work of certain enzymes that are necessary for the life of worms.

It is not recommended to self-medicate and set dosages. Medicines can either cure or harm or worsen the disease. Treatment should only be carried out under medical supervision. Recovery will occur after taking medication for a week. It is possible to prescribe a second course of treatment after 14 days.

How to give a cat a deworming tablet

Giving a cat a pill is not an easy task. No matter how hard you try to persuade the animal to open its mouth and swallow the “delicacy,” there will be no result. There is a standard algorithm of actions that will help feed a cat a medicinal drug.

It is best to crush the tablet into powder and roll it into a ball with a tasty treat, sit the animal with its back to you and unclench its jaws. The medicinal ball is stuffed into the pet’s mouth and closed, stroking the pussy’s throat. As soon as the swallowing movement is made, you need to make sure that the medication is swallowed.

There are other ways to give your cat the pill.

Treatment of pinworms in children using traditional methods

Traditional medicine allows the use of natural ingredients. But this does not mean that it can cure the disease. It can be used as an addition to the doctor’s main prescriptions and after his approval. The most popular home methods:

• Garlic juice. This juice is mixed with water in equal proportions and given to the child before bedtime. You should drink it with a large glass of water. The procedure is carried out over 3 days.
• Onion. The onion is brought to a mushy state and seasoned with sunflower oil. Give to children before bedtime with plenty of water. Use the pulp for 5 days.
• Pumpkin seeds. Raw pumpkin seeds are crushed and seasoned with olive oil. Give a tablespoon three hours before breakfast to children.
• Beetroot juice. Drink half a glass in the morning and before bed. The course lasts 2 weeks.
• Wormwood tincture. Brew a teaspoon of chopped herbs into 300 ml of boiling water. Let it brew for about 10 minutes. After straining, the child should drink the decoction. Carry out the procedure within 4 days. Green vegetables and fruits. It is believed that such products, due to their taste, destroy a favorable environment for the development of parasites.

Pinworms - Baby food

“Sadikov's disease” - enterobiasis?

When a child’s body is affected by worms, the mother must take care of the baby’s specific nutrition. Eating the right foods can speed up the healing process. It is worth including in the diet:

1. Spicy dishes. Pepper and spicy dressings worsen the habitat for pinworms.
2. Sour vegetables and fruits. In an acidic sphere, parasites die faster.
3. Horseradish with mustard. Not all kids will like such a specific product. But it undermines active reproduction and temporarily paralyzes the worms.
4. Walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds. Such products help destroy parasites in the intestines.
5. Olive and vegetable oil. Relieves irritation of the intestinal walls.
6. Dairy products. With their use, medications are better absorbed and the intestinal microflora is not disturbed.

During the period of illness, it is recommended to exclude sweets, fatty foods, and foods with a chemical composition - the consumption of harmful foods creates all the conditions for the further proliferation of pinworms in the child’s body.