When parasites take up residence in the human body, they work to obtain vitamins and nutrients while releasing toxins.Symptoms of a parasitic infection are not always specific; they may be mistaken for signs of other illnesses.
Common symptoms of this condition: weakness, excessive fatigue, loss or increase in appetite, severe hunger, muscle pain, and digestive disorders.
Other manifestations of the presence of worms are various allergic reactions such as rashes, itchy skin, eczema, reduced hemoglobin levels, immune defenses, increased incidence of viral and bacterial diseases, unprovoked anxiety, nervous system disorders and sleep disorders.When your child is sick, he may experience the following symptoms:
- lose weight;
- Delayed intellectual and physical development;
- Headache attacks.
If you notice the above symptoms, you should not start self-treatment: this is harmful to your health, and it is also possible that the disease is not related to worms.
pinworm disease
The cause of this disease is pinworms - small white worms.They are known as the most common worm infection in many developed countries around the world.Typically, worms are diagnosed in children of preschool and elementary school age.
Pinworms live in the human large intestine.While the patient sleeps, the female parasite leaves him through the anus and begins laying eggs on the skin near the anus.After a few hours, the worm can infect another person.
Eggs can remain on underwear, bedding, clothes and toys for up to 14 days.A person can easily become infected with pinworms if they do not pay attention to personal hygiene.
The main symptom of pinworms is itching near the anus, which usually occurs in the evening and night.When the infection is weak, patients may not notice its symptoms; as the number of parasites increases, the itching becomes so painful that patients scratch the skin until it bleeds, and the affected area becomes painful and inflamed.
In young children, the characteristic symptoms of pinworms are:
- sleep disorders;
- moody; moody;
- irritability;
- Enuresis.
Without treatment, symptoms can worsen.
Ascariasis
Roundworms are round worms that can reach 15-40 cm in length.Female parasites lay eggs in the intestinal lumen, from where they pass into the environment and soil and are excreted in feces.Consumption of contaminated fruits, vegetables and drinking water can promote infection.This disease is more common in children aged 5-10 years.
It usually takes about 2-3 weeks from the moment of infection to the first symptoms.Initially, ascariasis occurs in the form of allergic disease.
In preschool children, the acute phase begins with an increase in body temperature to 37-37.5 degrees, rash, difficulty in defecation, abdominal pain, and nausea.
When a parasitic infection becomes chronic:
- The child complains of periodic pain around the navel;
- His appetite has decreased;
- Stools become erratic and sometimes constipation occurs.
Antiparasitic and symptomatic treatment is required.
Giardiasis
Giardia are protozoa; they have a sucker on the front side of their body that helps grip the intestinal epithelial wall.The parasite has no mouth; it feeds on dissolved nutrients.The incubation period of the disease is 7 to 20 days.
The parasitic infection begins acutely; a person will experience watery stools with a bad odor and traces of fat.Thereafter, abdominal pain, belching, loss of appetite, and sometimes vomiting and nausea occur.
The initial phase lasts up to 7 days; in many cases, all invasive symptoms resolve on their own after 1-4 weeks.
When blastocyst invasion is detected, it causes discoloration of the stool and the appearance of streaks of blood and mucus.Symptomatic treatment is also required.
Toxocariasis
Toxocara are large, dioecious worms that can grow up to 18 centimeters in length.Their life cycle averages 4 months and can last up to 6 months.The main source of infection is dogs, most commonly puppies.A person can become sick after:
- direct contact with sick animals;
- Enter oral soil containing parasite eggs.
Children are susceptible to infection when playing with dogs or in the sand, while adults are susceptible through exposure to infectious animals in the household (dog breeders, veterinarians, utility workers).Another common cause of toxocariasis is eating raw or poorly processed meat.
This parasitic infection may occur suddenly or after a temporary illness.Signs of invasion in this case: elevated body temperature, itchy rash, and markedly swollen lymph nodes.
A long-lasting, low-grade fever can last for months.If the disease is in the acute stage, patients may develop symptoms of bronchitis, pneumonia and severe asthma attacks.
Signs of infection in sick children: weakness, fatigue, sleep disturbance and unusual stress.Without adequate and timely treatment, toxocariasis can lead to serious and dangerous complications:
- hepatitis;
- retinal damage;
- Pathology of the nervous system;
- allergic reaction.
If treated correctly, the prognosis is always good.
prevention methods
The main ways to prevent parasitic infections are:
- Observe personal hygiene rules carefully;
- Drink only boiled water, washed vegetables and fruits;
- Eat fresh, well-fried and cooked meat.
It is also important to teach children not to eat food off the floor and not to put dirty things in their mouths. Timely deworming of pets is also necessary.Doctors also advise against letting children play in open sandboxes, as these areas are often used by cats and dogs.
You should know that there are medicinal plants that can increase the body's resistance to worm infections, neutralize toxins and eliminate signs of the disease.These plants include black walnut, mugwort, grapefruit, pumpkin seeds and cloves.This treatment is accessible to everyone, has universally reinforcing effects, and causes no adverse reactions in the body.