What Causes Worms in Children? Symptoms, Treatment & Home Remedies...

A worm is a long, crawling animal, with a soft, often segmented body. They don't have legs but instead are covered in hairs or bristles that help them to move. They breathe through their skin, which must remain moist to absorb oxygen from the air.

There are about 34,000 different types of worm; many are so small you wouldn't be able to see them with the naked eye. If you child has worm, that means there is an invasion of worms in your child's intestine.

eggs hatch, the worms will grow and lay more eggs in your child's body. However don't feel sad to find out your child  has a worm infection but instead keep it in mind that these infections are very common and spread easily.

 

Symptoms:

A child with worms may have a mild symptoms or may not even show any symptoms at all. Often times symptoms might be so little and gradual that they are almost overlooked.Other signs and symptoms may include :-

• Loss of appetite
• Sore tommy
• Nausea
• Anemia esp. with hookworms
• Itching or pain around the anus, which cause trouble sleeping because of the itchiness, this is true particularly for thread or pin worms.
• Painful and frequent urination due to urinary tract infection - this is more common in girls
• Constant coughs
• In rare cases, vomitting 

Threadworms are the common types of worms that affect children. They look like pieces of thick thread, half a centimeter long.
If your baby has a mild infection of threadworms,he/she may not show any symptoms. Check your child's bottom at night, after she has gone to bed. Gently part her buttocks and shine a torch around the opening of her bottom. If she has threadworms, you may be able to see one or more crawling out or around her pyjamas and bed sheets. You may also notice threadworms in your baby’s stool. 

 

Your child could have caught worm infections in one of these ways:-

• Ingestion of unclean/ infected food that have not been thoroughly washed. worm eggs stay on vegetables, so it is required to thoroughly wash veggies before cooking.
• Playing, swimming and bathing in contaminated water bodies such as lakes, puddles, dams etc. which is considered to be the natural habitat for some type of worms
• Walking around barefoot on an infected soil which habor worms like threadworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms and whipworms. It is believed that these worms thrive in any damp and dirty soil.
• From an undercooked and infected food. Animals that lives in water areas can also be a reservoir for worms and as a result get sick from carrying worms around, so raw meat and fish that are not well cooked can carry worms and also cause infections.
• Also contact with an infected person has a high rate of transmitting worm infections, because worm eggs can remain under fingernails of a badly washed hands of another child as a result can be passed from there to your child's toys or directly into him/her.

 *But luckily, getting rid of worms is also easy and relatively quick.

 

Follow these steps to Prevent your child From Getting worms

• Change your babie's Nappy regularly.
• Always keep your toilet clean
• Make sure every member of your family washes their hands with soap and clean water before meals and after visiting the toilet
• Keep your child’s nails short and neat. Worm eggs can get caught under long fingernails and spread around the house.
• Also boil or filter your drinking water 
• Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly in clean water before eating
• When your child is two years old, get her to the clinic for deworming treatment.
• Clean your house often and well, with a good disinfectant.
• Always check your child plays in a clean, dry area by keeping him/her away from moist sands, pits and soils.
• Once your child can walk, get her some closed shoes.
• Always make sure that raw meat and fresh fish are well cooked till there are no raw bits before eating. see healthy food for toddlers and children
• Lastly If you have a maid or nanny looking after your baby, make sure she keeps clean also you might like to suggest the option of deworming to her.

 

Treatment

Luckily, almost all worm infections can be treated with oral medication. Your doctor will prescribe medicines or deworming treatments based on the type of worm infection your baby has. Don’t buy over the counter remedies, as some anti-worm medicines may be unsuitable for babies less than two years old. You may also be interested in trying alternative medicine like herbal remedies. There isn’t much proof proving their effectiveness. It is best to talk to your doctor before you try them on your child.

Note: Keep your children close and watch what they do!!!

#stayHealthy

Sunday, August 31, 2014