After a certain period, snotty noses and bathroom bloopers lose their “yuck appeal” for most parents. On the other hand, worms growing inside your child are a whole new challenge to get your head around as a parent!
“Worms are among the most frequent pediatric illnesses worldwide,” says Debbie-Ann Shirley, Ph.D. in pediatric infectious disease, because worm infection may cause weight loss, height, and impaired cognitive development.
What Exactly Are Pinworms?
Pinworms are also referred to as “threadworms.” They are the most frequent parasitic intestinal infection in the United States and most prevalent worldwide.
They’re slender and pale, roughly a 1/4 to a half an inch long – about the length of a nail.
According to the Disease control And Prevention Center, pinworm infections, often referred to as enterobiasis, are the most frequent worm infection in the United States.
It is a common infection that bugs people worldwide and can happen to anybody irrespective of age.
Don’t be alarmed if you have pinworms. Sure, they’re nasty, and they could set off your “weirded out” alarms. However, they are prevalent, curable, and innocuous.
How Does One Get Infected By it?
Pinworms are transmitted from fingers or hands to the mouth.
It can happen immediately, such as when your dirty fingers come into contact with your mouth or foodstuff.
For children, this is common in playgrounds at parks or crèches.
For example, when children play in the garden, they may accidentally pick up pathogenic pinworm larvae on their palms, which they subsequently swallow.
Pinworms are not hazardous, but they should be addressed. Otherwise, everyone in the home will be itching themselves.
It can also come passively, such as when you hold a larvae-contaminated object.
For example, microscopic pinworm larvae can survive on dolls, sanitary fittings, classroom tables, or bedsheets for three weeks.
Once the eggs have matured, the adult female worms go towards the infected host’s anus at night and deposit new eggs on the epidermis in the anal fissures.
On closer examination, you may be able to spot the larvae.
Symptoms:
Itchiness and inflammation around the rectum and widespread pain are the most common symptoms of pinworm.
If you have pinworms, you will most likely experience itching.
If it’s your kid, you’ll most likely notice them itching too much. These are strong indicators that something is not correct.
You have two possibilities for confirming a pinworm infestation. One is to beam light into the region before heading to bed.
The next alternative is a “tape diagnostic,” as doctors refer to it.
Cleveland clinic suggests performing this check first thing in the morning, as soon as your kid wakes up.
To do so, place a 1-inch strip of transparent tape around the anus. Hold it for a few seconds before removing it.
You may then put this tape in a disposable bag and take it to the specialist, who will examine it under a lens to check for larvae.
Treatments and Remedies:
Anthelmintics are a type of drug that can be given in a single dosage or continued two weeks following the initial dose.
However, in contrast to medicine, it is critical to sanitize the sick person’s bedroom — especially if the infected individual is a youngster.
Otherwise, as soon as you destroy the old worms, they may be infected by other existing eggs.
Once the pinworms are destroyed, take precautions to keep them from returning. In general, excellent cleanliness is beneficial in the prevention of pinworm.
What Exactly Are Tapeworms?
Tapeworms are plain, segmented parasites that dwell in certain animals’ guts.
When animals graze in meadows or consume polluted water, they might become infected with these worms.
The most common source of human tapeworm infection is consuming raw or improperly cooked meat from infected animals.
Even though parasitic worms in people commonly cause minimal problems and are readily managed, they can occasionally create major, life-threatening complications.
How Does One Contract Tapeworm?
There are six different varieties of tapeworms that may infect humans. They are often recognized by the animals from which they are derived, such as cows, pork, and seafood.
One can also contract pig tapeworms from meals cooked by an affected person. Since tapeworm larvae are discharged in bowel movements, an individual who does not thoroughly wash their hands after touching something may end up infecting it.
The Symptoms of Contracting Tapeworms
Nonetheless, tapeworms may not always induce symptoms. The only evidence of tapeworm illness may be pieces of the worms flowing around in the gut.
Tapeworms can cause significant difficulties in rare circumstances, such as clogging the gut or smaller passages in the intestines (such as the biliary tract or pancreatic duct).
Suppose pig tapeworm larvae stay around long enough to escape the gut. In that case, they can spread to other regions of the body, causing harm to the brain, vision, heart, and nervous system.
If these infestations are not treated promptly, they can be fatal.
Treatment and Remedies For Tapeworms
Check with your physician if you think you have tapeworms. A stool sample may be required to determine the kind of worm to diagnose the parasitic infestation.
Suppose no parasites are found in your feces. In that case, your doctor may request a blood test to look for antibodies developed in response to the parasitic illness.
The amount and duration of therapy will be determined by the type of tapeworm you got. Tapeworms are often treated with oral medication.
Mebendazole is the most regularly used tapeworm medication.
These treatments paralyze the tapeworms, causing them to dislodge from the colon, disintegrate, and flow out of your body through bowel movements.
When giant worms escape your system, you may experience cramps. Once you finish treatments, your doctor will review your stool samples again after three months.
Conclusion
It is always necessary to practice good health and hygiene to avoid parasitic infections.
If you feel funny and need a checkup, visit your doctor as soon as possible. The further you delay treatment and professional help, the worse your condition will become.
