It is used to treat enterobiasis in children. Treatment of enterobiasis in children

Answering the question of what enterobiasis is, it should be noted: the disease belongs to the class, like. The causative agent is white worms about 1 cm long.

After 14 - 30 days, an adult individual grows, capable of fertilization. Females leave their habitat to lay eggs, after which they die. When they are in the anal area, the child experiences severe itching.

Average life expectancy adult 1-1.5 months. Eggs that land on objects can survive for up to 1 month.

Causes

The risk group includes children aged 5–15 years. Most often, schoolchildren get sick; they account for 60–90% of the total number of children, while the number of preschool children is about 20%.

Infection occurs when:

• consuming low-quality or dirty products;
• contact with an infected person or using his things (toys, bedding, towel, clothes);
• poor personal hygiene (finger sucking, lack of habit of washing hands before eating);
• being in a dusty room.

Pinworms live only in the human body, so a child cannot get sick from interacting with an animal. However, it is better to protect your baby from contact with street cats and dogs.

Scheme of methods of infection with enterobiasis

Symptoms

The main signs of enterobiasis in children are:

• itching in the anal area, worsening at night. Feelings of discomfort can torment the child constantly or only during the migration of the female when laying eggs;
• irritation and hyperemia of the skin in the area anus. With prolonged helminthiasis, these manifestations may be accompanied by eczema and weeping dermatitis;
• allergic reactions manifest themselves in the form of rashes, allergic conjunctivitis,. The child is bothered by a cough that persists long time and is not eliminated medical supplies. If left untreated, this condition leads to bronchial asthma;
• bowel dysfunction: constipation;
• loss of appetite, nausea, weakness, decreased activity, dizziness, headache;
• , pain in the abdomen, often on the right;
• irritability, memory impairment, absent-mindedness, nervousness, and physical development;
• grinding teeth at night, sleep disturbance.

The severity of symptoms of enterobiasis in children depends on the duration of helminths in the body, the degree of tissue damage, the age of the patient and the reaction of the particular organism.

If a child constantly puts his hands in his mouth, enterobiasis may appear.

Features of the course of the disease in infants

Worms rarely appear in children under 1 year of age. The main causes of infection of a newborn are:

• infection during childbirth from a sick mother;
• contact with a carrier of infection;
• poor hygiene: infrequent diaper changes, presence of dust in the room;
• swimming in a pool with insufficiently purified water.

The manifestation of enterobiasis in infants can be confused with colic. The baby is bothered by itching in the anus, abdominal pain, he becomes capricious, eats poorly, and after eating he spits up more milk than usual. Redness of the anus may be slight, so young parents are not always able to recognize the disease.

Newborns are not yet able to explain their sensations. But as the disease progresses, the symptoms become brighter:

• defecation is observed more often than normal, the stool is loose;
• bloating appears;
• the baby experiences severe headaches and anal itching, so he constantly cries;
• The baby is tormented by discomfort in the abdomen, he constantly tightens his legs, as if intestinal colic. But the process of defecation and taking appropriate medications do not bring relief.

Diagnostics

Helminths live in the intestines, crawling to the surface cyclically to lay eggs. Therefore, the analysis may well be negative. It is recommended to take scrapings from the anal folds at least 3 times in a row.

It is necessary to take a smear for enterobiasis in children in the morning. There are two ways to obtain study material.

1. Duct tape . It is glued to the surface of the anus, and then moved to a glass specially prepared for the sample. It is not recommended to wash your child before taking the test.
2. Cotton swab. The skin of the anal folds is wiped with a moistened instrument, after which it is sent for further laboratory testing.

Stool analysis is rarely prescribed, since it can be detected only in 5% of cases. In order for the sample to be informative, it is collected according to certain rules:

• Only morning feces without urine are suitable;
• the amount of discharge is at least 5 ml;
• the container must be sterile;
• material is collected from three places of one feces.

A blood test with an increased number of eosinophils may indicate a disease, therefore, if the indicator does not correspond to the norm, additional examinations are carried out.

Helminth waste products form allergic reactions

Treatment

The course of therapy must be carried out strictly according to the algorithm given below.

1. Before treating a child, it is recommended to give him sorbents for 3 days. They will eliminate the symptoms of intoxication and remove harmful substances.
2. The first stage ends with a cleansing enema.
3. Next, anthelmintic drugs are prescribed; they destroy the uninvited “guests”.
4. To remove the remains of worms from the body, an enema is given and sorbents are taken.
5. After 14 days, the entire algorithm is repeated to remove new individuals that hatched from the remaining eggs.

Drug treatment

Enterobiasis can be treated with the following means:

• "Pyrantel" is available in two forms: tablets and syrup;
• "Vermox", presented in the form of tablets, is suitable for children from 2 years old;
• "Nemozol", produced in suspension;
• "Albendazole" is indicated for the treatment of infants.

Atoxil, Smecta, and activated carbon are used as sorbents.

The child is considered healthy after negative responses to three control tests taken at the end of therapy. If pinworms are sown again, the scheme is repeated. Whenever allergic reactions the doctor, having studied the symptoms and treatment, additionally prescribes antihistamines. Antibacterial ointments are used for suppuration of wounds.

Constipation in a child is one of the symptoms

ethnoscience

For enterobiasis in children, first aid can be provided at home. To prepare a decoction for pinworms, take 5 g of centaury, elecampane, and St. John's wort and add 1 glass of water. The mixture is kept for 15 minutes in a water bath, filtered, brought to the original volume and taken 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day.

A soda enema at the rate of 0.5 teaspoon of powder per 1 glass of water at room temperature helps relieve severe itching.

The enema liquid should not be warm, as this facilitates the absorption of the substance introduced into the intestine along with all the decay products present in the intestine.

Complications

At timely treatment enterobiasis in a child negative consequences does not arise. In running form the following are possible:

• infection genitourinary system with development various diseases: urethritis, vaginitis and others;
• the occurrence of cracks when scratching due to decreased elasticity of the skin in the anus area;
• dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to the development of enteritis, gastroduodenitis;
• changes in intestinal microflora leading to;
• increased sensitivity of the body to irritants, against the background of which the formation of allergic reactions occurs and, as a result, bronchial asthma;
• the appearance of severe intoxication of the body. The little one complains of a deterioration in general health, dizziness, and headaches. He becomes lethargic and moody;
• developmental delay, increased irritability, deterioration in academic performance and memory impairment.

To determine the disease, it is necessary to take a scraping from the skin in the anal area.

Rules for caring for a sick child

• cut the toddler’s nails short so that eggs that get under the nail plates while scratching the anus do not lead to re-infection;
• carry out wet cleaning and change of bedding daily;
• wash your hands often with soap;
• Clean plastic and rubber toys every day with soapy water. It is better to remove soft animals during treatment. If a daughter or son cannot part with their pet, then the toy is ironed several times a day with a hot iron;
• Do not allow licking fingers or biting nails;
• Before going to bed, small children need to wear panties with elastic bands, this will prevent scratching of the anus;
• treat the potty and toilet after the patient has used them. Detergents can be used once a day, in other cases it is enough to pour boiling water over the seat;
• wash the child thoroughly and change underwear at least 2 times a day;
• before replacing bedding and underwear, it must be ironed on both sides with a hot iron;
• Make sure your baby doesn't put his hands in his panties.

How to protect your child

Prevention of enterobiasis in children includes:

• compliance with personal hygiene rules;
• undergoing routine examinations;
• weaning off finger sucking;
• preventive vaccinations;
• strengthening the child’s immunity;
• Introduction to daily diet freshly squeezed carrot juice, strawberries, nuts, pomegranate. These products prevent the development of the disease;
• daily cleaning and ventilation of the children's room;
• introducing restrictions on the playground and contact with animals.

Employees of child care institutions must have medical records with completed preventive examination no earlier than 1 year. And products for preparing dishes in these establishments must comply with sanitary standards.

1. To prevent infection of other people, everyone in contact with a sick child should undergo a course of anthelmintic prophylaxis.
2. Any treatment folk remedies must be agreed with a doctor. Refusal drug therapy can lead to loss of time and complications.
3. During treatment, a sick child is isolated from healthy children. If the number of infected people does not exceed 20% of the total number, then visiting the institution is not prohibited.

Summary

Enterobiasis plagues many children; it occupies a leading place among the types of helminthic infestations. To protect your baby, you need to early years instill in him a love of cleanliness and explain the need for hygiene. Recognizing the symptoms is not difficult, so if you suspect the presence of pinworms, you should consult your doctor.

A genus of primary cavity worms, pinworms, can only exist in the human body, causing a general infection of the body, called enterobiasis in medicine. At the same time, it is often observed that the child’s body is affected by this disease; enterobiasis is also possible in small infants due to the parents’ failure to comply with basic hygiene rules.

The main danger of such a diagnosis lies in the difficulty of determining it, since in 80% of cases no symptoms of infection are observed in the first stages. This is especially true for children's bodies.

Pinworms appear as white round worms. The color makes them very noticeable in feces - this is how it is usually possible to detect the presence of helminths in the body of a child and an adult. Male pinworms in a child’s feces can reach a length of up to 3 mm, females up to 10 and even up to 15 mm.

Enterobiasis in children usually occurs due to failure to comply with basic hygiene standards. Doctors call the main method of transmission of such an infection to be oral-fecal, since female worms lay eggs directly on the intestinal walls. Then they easily end up on bedding, through which another person can become infected.

The contact and household route of transmission of pinworms from an adult to a child has many options. In a similar way, it is possible to transmit helminth eggs from a child to an adult. The female worm usually lays eggs in the anus at night, causing itching. Scratching the source of infection leads to helminth eggs getting under the nails of a person whose body is affected by worms. If your hands have not been washed with soap, then it is with their help that the infection spreads to all objects in the house and outside it.

Pinworms in a child most often occur precisely through transmission from other children or from adults through any objects, from clothing to furniture. Pet hair is also a great place for them to move.

Getting rid of helminths is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. The most important thing is to follow the correct course of treatment prescribed by the doctor, and do not forget about hygiene standards. If the second condition is not met, even the most potent and expensive medications will not help.

Types of infections

Pinworms in children have symptoms that do not allow them to be confused with other diseases. However, often the baby’s body is affected without any symptoms other than the appearance of white worms in the feces. The ability to timely identify a danger threatening a child’s body depends entirely on parental attention to their child.

It is not difficult to recognize the presence of helminths in the body of a child who can speak. It is enough to observe the baby’s reaction and also ask him about his feelings. We can safely say that the body is affected by helminths if following signs pinworms in children:

• itching and discomfort in the anus;
• even if initially the itching was not pronounced, it intensifies over time;
• if the invasion is significant, intestinal upset is observed against the background of itching and burning;
• the appearance of inflamed small wounds in the anus that are formed as a result of constant scratching, which entails dermatitis and vulvitis;
• infection may be indicated by allergic foci on skin;
• in the absence of proper treatment, there is a lack of appetite, apathy, and failure of the digestive system.

In addition, a direct indicator of infection of a child’s body is the presence of white worms in the stool. Seeing a doctor for an accurate diagnosis is mandatory and immediate.

Symptoms in infants

• weakened immunity, weight loss and general weakness; the baby is malnourished due to lack of appetite;
• itching in the perineum and around the anus; it intensifies at night and in the evening;
• pain in the area gastrointestinal tract, about which the newborn will tell with his endless crying.

Treatment Basics

In addition to taking medications important point is the prevention of enterobiasis in children in the form of compliance with hygiene standards. Parents should ensure that the baby eats only well-washed vegetables and fruits, and always washes his hands with soap, especially after going outside and having contact with animals. It is also necessary to carry out disinfection measures at home - wash at high temperature bed linen, disinfect all toys in a special solution, and carefully observe the rules of personal hygiene.

Child under one year old

The doctor will be able to answer the question of how to treat enterobiasis in children only after obtaining a general picture of the child’s condition. Next, the doctor prescribes a treatment regimen that will be most effective for the stage of infection, but at the same time safe for a child up to one year old. To completely get rid of worms at this age, taking the medicine 1-2 times is sufficient. long-term treatment not required.

The most common drugs to combat worms in infancy child - Vermox, Wormil or Helmitox. The dosage and frequency of administration can only be prescribed by the attending physician.

In addition to taking the drug, it is important to observe hygiene standards V Everyday life baby:

• regular diaper changes;
• regular change of bed linen;
• regular washing, especially thoroughly in the anal area.

From two years and older

In any childhood, even if the child has already reached the age of two, it is necessary to deworm the body. However, you should follow a certain dosage of the medicine, which only a doctor can suggest. In addition, medications are selected depending on individual characteristics body, taking into account the intolerance of the child’s body to certain components of the medicine.

Drug treatment

A mandatory point before taking medications for helminths is proper preparation body. To do this, you need a soft and even liquid diet, as well as taking a laxative in the evening on the day you take the deworming medication. In the morning after taking the medication, you need to do an enema. After treatment, prevention of pinworms in children is important.

Folk remedies

Pinworms in childhood are a very common problem, which must be combated with the help of special medications and folk remedies. The prescription of medications and their dosage should be determined only by a doctor after examining the child and establishing an accurate diagnosis.

Pinworm is one of the representatives of the worm species that affects all age generations. Externally similar to white worm with pointed ends ranging in length from 5 mm (males) to 1.5 cm (females), and its egg looks like a small oval grain.

Pinworms in children - symptoms and treatment

Pinworm in children belongs to the type roundworms, since it looks like a small worm, the females of which reach a length of up to 12 mm, and the males up to 5–6 mm. The pinworm has a whitish color. In the female the end is pointed and slightly swollen, while in the male it is spirally twisted.

Also, upon a detailed examination of the female’s body, one can see a translucent uterus, in which there is not one egg, but several dozen, with the help of which she reproduces.

The pinworm produces a colorless egg with thin shell. The egg is unpretentious, can live well in almost any conditions, maturing in the environment and can wait for a child on the floor, on the paws and fur of animals, in carpets, on clothes and in other places.

The egg matures in 4–5 hours and a larva appears in it. The larva can live up to 20 days from the moment it leaves children's body, comes out and begins to ripen. The egg with the larva tolerates all detergents and temperatures up to 24% heat.

The pinworm reproduces quickly; it is capable of laying not just one egg per night, but from 5 to 15 thousand; for this, it migrates to the child’s anus, where it lays them. In girls, the worm is able to penetrate into the genitals, where it also lays an egg or several dozen of them.

Helminths can enter a child’s body in several ways:

1. A baby can become infected while passing through birth canal infected mother.
2. During contact with adults from their hands or clothing.
3. Through toys infested with worm eggs.
4. With unboiled water while bathing.

A child, regardless of what year he is, playing outside, going to kindergarten, school or other public places is at risk of infection, because someone can leave an egg in the sandbox or on the doorknob, etc.

In this regard, a child is more likely than an adult to be infected with pinworms, since he plays more on the floor, in public places often taking other people’s toys and other things, after which he involuntarily introduces the worm into his body by eating candy, opening it on the street with dirty hands, which there is an egg, transferring it with her into the body.

Although the pinworm does not live for a year or more, but only about 1.5–2 months, it is dangerous because it multiplies quickly, increasing its numbers tens of times. Males die immediately after fertilization of females. The egg can live outside a person for up to 1 month. Once it enters the body, it can cause damage to health, so it is necessary to be able to recognize in time that an infection has occurred and take measures to begin treating the baby in time.

Adults, in order to prevent a child from becoming infected, must take measures to prevent his infection and ensure that he knows these measures and does not neglect them.

The risk of pinworms is highest in following cases:

• if the mother suffered from toxicosis during pregnancy;
• when it happens artificial feeding, in which the immunoglobulins contained in the body do not enter breast milk, which leads to weakened immunity;
• frequent illnesses child;
• developmental deviation;
• lack of conditions for proper and constant hygiene;
• The child bites his nails and puts his hands in his mouth.

The pinworm damages the intestinal lining - gastric tract, therefore, food elements often penetrate into the blood through damaged areas, in addition, they release substances of their activity, which causes pinworms in a child to cause severe intoxication, as a result of which the body can no longer function normally and symptoms appear various kinds complications.

The disease has several manifestations, including:

Parents should be wary and consult a doctor if they notice that their child has following symptoms:

• periodic cramping pain in the abdomen;
• decreased or lack of appetite;
• lethargy of the child, lag in proper development and growth;
• irritability, absent-mindedness, constant whims and tears;
• problems sleeping, crying and screaming when waking up;
• nausea and vomiting;
• itching of the anus;
• urinary incontinence;
• recurring conjunctivitis;
• allergic skin manifestations;
• prolonged runny nose;
• persistent cough having no basis;
• frequent ARVI of complicated form.

It is difficult, but possible, to determine helminthic infestation in infants. Signs of the appearance of pinworms in the body can be direct and indirect. Direct manifestations include the most noticeable changes.

1. Young children always gain weight well. A slight weight gain or unreasonable loss should alert parents and cause the baby to be checked by a specialist.
2. Excessive drooling during sleep. This can be seen by the damp pillow near the mouth.
3. Frequent, excessive regurgitation of food after eating. Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, constipation gives way to diarrhea.
4. Painful sensations in the navel area.
5. Pale skin of the entire body. Hips with constant small rash.
6. Dark circles under the eyes.

Indirect signs:

• Constant allergic reactions.
• Susceptibility to diseases caused by weak immunity.

If an infant develops allergies, diathesis, neurodermatitis or dermatitis, it is necessary to check it for the presence of worms. Getting rid of them will normalize the functioning of all organs and restore immune system.

In this regard, outbreaks of pinworms are often observed in kindergartens and schools. Infection of an infant occurs through parents' failure to observe proper hygiene.

Pets are not carriers of the disease. Enterobiasis is transmitted only to humans from humans.

Diagnosis of enterobiasis

To make a correct diagnosis, it is often necessary to consult certain doctors:

• gynecologist - if there is severe itching in the anal area;
• surgeon - for abdominal pain;
• gastroenterologist - intestinal disorders.

The most reliable laboratory method for determining pinworms is a microscopic analysis of a scraping obtained from the child’s anus. Stool PCR, stool examination to detect pathogen eggs, and ultrasound of the abdominal organs can also be performed.

Scraping can be done at home to protect the child from unnecessary worries and discomfort. To do this, use a cotton swab or adhesive tape. A cotton swab is moistened in water and passed over the skin in the anal area. The adhesive tape is applied in the morning or evening to the anus. Pinworm eggs should stick to it. The sample is then sent to the laboratory.

An infection detection test is also carried out in the following cases:

1. Admission to hospital;
2. A trip to a sanatorium;
3. If the child enters kindergarten, school or is registered to visit the pool.

Pinworms in children - treatment

IN alternative medicine There are also remedies for how to treat, garlic is used here, used in the morning on an empty stomach or at night, washed down with plenty of water, onions, consumed for 5 days, pumpkin seeds are also recommended for treatment, eaten in the morning on an empty stomach half an hour before meals and many others.

However, treatment folk therapy Most experts have recognized it as ineffective, and many do not recommend its use, believing that under its influence the pinworm, and especially its egg, will not die, but it will begin to move to other organs, causing even more harm to the body.

Before treatment, you need to prepare, namely, a day before taking the medicine, you need to give up foods that have a fixing effect, and eat liquid, easily digestible ones. Take medication best in the morning(if the instructions for use do not contradict this), and take a relaxing agent in the evening.

The child, due to physical and psychological characteristics has its own specifics of the body, taking this into account it is advisable not to carry out treatment yourself, but to seek help from a doctor. You should not give medications without reading the instructions for the drug.

In addition, minors may be allergic to the components of the drug, then they should not use the medicine. Especially if a child who is under one year old is infected, since his body and immunity have not yet been established.

After treatment for about 2 weeks, it is necessary to use probiotics to restore intestinal microflora and a multivitamin complex. Such a symptom as itching disappears almost immediately as a pinworm, or rather, all individuals have left the body, and zinc ointment is recommended for wound healing.

The child ceases to be a carrier within 1 day after taking the medicine. After undergoing treatment, gradually all other signs of pinworms in children disappear and the child’s body is restored.

After 2 weeks of treatment, you need to take tests again to reliably determine whether there is still a pinworm or at least one of its eggs or to take medicine for them. It is advisable to do this, since the pinworm could breed again if at least one egg remains.

Treatment of enterobiasis in children is carried out on an outpatient basis, in compliance with following conditions:

• limit contact with adults and children;
• following the doctor’s recommendations and taking prescribed pills;
• preventive actions for prevention purposes reinfection;
• examination of people who have been in contact with the patient, application of the necessary means.

Mandatory hygiene rules for pinworms are required:

Drugs should only be prescribed by a doctor, based on the patient’s age and weight. Self-medication is prohibited, as some medications have contraindications.
After productive therapy, observation of 1-1.5 months is necessary. Change repeated tests prescribed after 21 days.

During the period of treatment and observation after it, the child should not go to kindergarten, school or other educational institutions.

The safest among medicines are considered:

• taken once after a meal;
• the dose is calculated strictly depending on the patient’s weight;
• approved for use by children over the age of one year;
• an overdose can cause a severe allergic reaction.

Vormil is produced in the form of chewable sheets

• The medication is taken once after a meal;
• the use of laxatives is not required;
• The drug is strictly prohibited for children under 2 years of age.

Decaris is available in tablets

• the drug is taken once after dinner;
• the dosage should be calculated according to the patient’s weight;
• necessary for treatment prophylactic appointment for the entire immediate environment;
• prohibited for use by children under 3 years of age;
• has a large number of contraindications and side effects.

Mebendazole tablet form

• quickly eliminated from the body;
• simultaneous use of laxatives is not required;
• taken once, but repeated after 21 days;
• Children under 2 are strictly prohibited summer age;
• may cause serious poisoning when combined with alcohol.

Piperazine is available in tablets

• a course of treatment is required;
• the interval between taking the medicine and eating should be at least an hour;
• During treatment it is necessary to perform enemas;
• there are a large number of contraindications;
• It is given to infants under the supervision of specialists in a hospital.

Pyrantel is available in tablets, chewable strips, suspension

• taken once after a meal;
• the dose is calculated in strict accordance with the patient’s weight;
• When carrying out treatment, a prophylactic dose is necessary for the entire patient’s environment;
• approved for use in infants;
• overdose is possible.

After a course of treatment, it is necessary to conduct an additional test for pinworms and make sure that the child does not have enterobiasis. If necessary, re-take the medications.

Pinworm eggs - treatment in children

It is possible to get rid of pinworms subject to a course of treatment by simultaneously taking medications and preventing the further spread of pinworms, blocking the possibility of further stages of egg development.

Scraping for enterobiasis - how to take it from children

After visiting a doctor with a suspicion that your baby has pinworms, you will need to undergo a scraping for enterobiasis. This is the most effective way, allowing you to determine the presence of helminths. The method of performing the procedure depends on the age of the subject.

1. Using cotton swabs:

• a cotton swab is moistened in glycerin ointment;
• the subject is placed on his side and the buttocks are spread with the first and second fingers of the left hand;
• V right hand take a stick with a tampon;
• carefully circle the area of ​​the perianal folds and anus with a tampon;
• The stick with the collected smear is placed in a sterile special container with a tight lid.

Using special adhesive tape:

• cut a piece 5-7 cm long from the adhesive tape;
• Place the subject on his side, spread his buttocks;
• press the tape with the sticky side to the perianal folds and anal area;
• the tape must be applied several times;
• press the tape to a sterile glass for analysis;
• straighten, getting rid of air bubbles.

The material is suitable for analysis short term, so it can’t be taken on its own. It is important to remember that you do not need to wash your baby before taking the test.

Pinworms in children - treatment at home

He requires treatment due to the fact that children are at risk the following complications and pinworm:

For prevention purposes, you must first of all follow the rules of personal hygiene, which will help protect against the spread and development of pinworms in children. WITH early age Children should be taught to wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating.

The room should be wet cleaned, all surfaces should be wiped with water and detergent or soda solution. The equipment involved in cleaning must be replaced with a new one after each use.

Toys must be washed or washed. Bed linen and underwear must be changed daily. Towels should be washed at 90° and ironed after drying. Panties should fit snugly to the body, which will trap pinworms and prevent them from spreading to other parts of the body. A sick child should drink and eat from separate containers. Before going to bed, you need to wash your baby with warm water.

Family members must undergo a mandatory examination and, if pinworms are detected, drink at the same time necessary medications. This is to avoid spreading the eggs or re-infestation.

Answering the question of what enterobiasis is, it should be noted: the disease belongs to the class of helminth infections, like ascariasis. The causative agent is white worms about 1 cm long.

After 14 - 30 days, an adult individual grows, capable of fertilization. Females leave their habitat to lay eggs, after which they die. When they are in the anal area, the child experiences severe itching.

The average lifespan of an adult is 1-1.5 months. Eggs that land on objects can survive for up to 1 month.

Causes

The risk group includes children aged 5–15 years. Most often, schoolchildren get sick; they account for 60–90% of the total number of children, while the number of preschool children is about 20%.

Infection occurs when:

• consuming low-quality or dirty products;
• contact with an infected person or using his things (toys, bedding, towels, clothes);
• poor personal hygiene (finger sucking, lack of habit of washing hands before eating);
• being in a dusty room.

Pinworms live only in the human body, so a child cannot get sick from interacting with an animal. However, it is better to protect your baby from contact with street cats and dogs.

Scheme of methods of infection with enterobiasis

Symptoms

The main signs of enterobiasis in children are:

• itching in the anal area, worsening at night. Feelings of discomfort can torment the child constantly or only during the migration of the female when laying eggs;
• irritation and hyperemia of the skin in the anus. With prolonged helminthiasis, these manifestations may be accompanied by eczema and weeping dermatitis;
• allergic reactions manifest themselves in the form of rashes, allergic conjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis. The child is bothered by a cough that persists for a long time and is not eliminated by medical means. If left untreated, this condition leads to bronchial asthma;
• bowel dysfunction: diarrhea, constipation;
• loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, weakness, decreased activity, dizziness, headache;
• bloating, pain in the abdomen, often on the right;
• irritability, memory impairment, absent-mindedness, nervousness, delayed mental and physical development;
• grinding teeth at night, sleep disturbance.

The severity of symptoms of enterobiasis in children depends on the duration of helminths in the body, the degree of tissue damage, the age of the patient and the reaction of the particular organism.

If a child constantly puts his hands in his mouth, enterobiasis may appear.

Features of the course of the disease in infants

Worms rarely appear in children under 1 year of age. The main causes of infection of a newborn are:

• infection during childbirth from a sick mother;
• contact with a carrier of infection;
• poor hygiene: infrequent diaper changes, presence of dust in the room;
• swimming in a pool with insufficiently purified water.

The manifestation of enterobiasis in infants can be confused with colic. The baby is bothered by itching in the anus, abdominal pain, he becomes capricious, eats poorly, and after eating he spits up more milk than usual. Redness of the anus may be slight, so young parents are not always able to recognize the disease.

Newborns are not yet able to explain their sensations. But as the disease progresses, the symptoms become brighter:

• defecation is observed more often than normal, the stool is loose;
• bloating appears;
• the baby experiences severe headaches and anal itching, so he constantly cries;
• The baby is tormented by discomfort in the abdomen, he constantly tightens his legs, as with intestinal colic. But the process of defecation and taking appropriate medications do not bring relief.

Diagnostics

Helminths live in the intestines, crawling to the surface cyclically to lay eggs. Therefore, the analysis may well be negative. It is recommended to take scrapings from the anal folds at least 3 times in a row.

It is necessary to take a smear for enterobiasis in children in the morning. There are two ways to obtain study material.

1. Duct tape . It is glued to the surface of the anus, and then moved to a glass specially prepared for the sample. It is not recommended to wash your child before taking the test.
2. Cotton swab. The skin of the anal folds is wiped with a moistened instrument, after which it is sent for further laboratory testing.

Stool analysis is rarely prescribed, since pinworms can be detected in it only in 5% of cases. In order for the sample to be informative, it is collected according to certain rules:

• Only morning feces without urine are suitable;
• the amount of discharge is at least 5 ml;
• the container must be sterile;
• material is collected from three places of one feces.

A blood test with an increased number of eosinophils may indicate a disease, therefore, if the indicator does not correspond to the norm, additional examinations are carried out.

Helminth waste products form allergic reactions

Treatment

The course of therapy must be carried out strictly according to the algorithm given below.

1. Before treating a child, it is recommended to give him sorbents for 3 days. They will eliminate the symptoms of intoxication and remove harmful substances.
2. The first stage ends with a cleansing enema.
3. Next, anthelmintic drugs are prescribed; they destroy the uninvited “guests”.
4. To remove the remains of worms from the body, an enema is given and sorbents are taken.
5. After 14 days, the entire algorithm is repeated to remove new individuals that hatched from the remaining eggs.

Drug treatment

Enterobiasis can be treated with the following means:

• "Pyrantel" is available in two forms: tablets and syrup;
• "Vermox", presented in the form of tablets, is suitable for children from 2 years old;
• "Nemozol", produced in suspension;
• "Albendazole" is indicated for the treatment of infants.

Atoxil, Smecta, and activated carbon are used as sorbents.

The child is considered healthy after negative responses to three control tests taken at the end of therapy. If pinworms are sown again, the scheme is repeated. If allergic reactions occur, the doctor, after studying the symptoms and treatment, additionally prescribes antihistamines. Antibacterial ointments are used for suppuration of wounds.

Constipation in a child is one of the symptoms

ethnoscience

For enterobiasis in children, first aid can be provided at home. To prepare a decoction for pinworms, take 5 g of centaury, elecampane, and St. John's wort and add 1 glass of water. The mixture is kept for 15 minutes in a water bath, filtered, brought to the original volume and taken 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day.

A soda enema at the rate of 0.5 teaspoon of powder per 1 glass of water at room temperature helps relieve severe itching.

The enema liquid should not be warm, as this facilitates the absorption of the substance introduced into the intestine along with all the decay products present in the intestine.

Complications

With timely treatment of enterobiasis, the child does not experience negative consequences. In running form the following are possible:

• infection of the genitourinary system with the development of various diseases: urethritis, vaginitis and others;
• the occurrence of cracks when scratching due to decreased elasticity of the skin in the anus area;
• dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to the development of gastritis, enteritis, gastroduodenitis, acute appendicitis;
• changes in intestinal microflora leading to dysbiosis;
• increased sensitivity of the body to irritants, against the background of which the formation of allergic reactions occurs and, as a result, bronchial asthma;
• the appearance of severe intoxication of the body. The little one complains of a deterioration in general health, dizziness, and headaches. He becomes lethargic and moody;
• developmental delay, increased irritability, deterioration in academic performance and memory impairment.

To determine the disease, it is necessary to take a scraping from the skin in the anal area.

Rules for caring for a sick child

• cut the toddler’s nails short so that eggs that get under the nail plates while scratching the anus do not lead to re-infection;
• carry out wet cleaning and change of bedding daily;
• wash your hands often with soap;
• Clean plastic and rubber toys every day with soapy water. It is better to remove soft animals during treatment. If a daughter or son cannot part with their pet, then the toy is ironed several times a day with a hot iron;
• Do not allow licking fingers or biting nails;
• Before going to bed, small children need to wear panties with elastic bands, this will prevent scratching of the anus;
• treat the potty and toilet after the patient has used them. Detergents can be used once a day; in other cases, it is enough to pour boiling water over the seat;
• wash the child thoroughly and change underwear at least 2 times a day;
• before replacing bedding and underwear, it must be ironed on both sides with a hot iron;
• Make sure your baby doesn't put his hands in his panties.

How to protect your child

Prevention of enterobiasis in children includes:

• compliance with personal hygiene rules;
• undergoing routine examinations;
• weaning off finger sucking;
• preventive vaccinations;
• strengthening the child’s immunity;
• introduction of freshly squeezed carrot juice, strawberries, nuts, and pomegranate into the daily diet. These products prevent the development of the disease;
• daily cleaning and ventilation of the children's room;
• introducing restrictions on the playground and contact with animals.

Employees of children's institutions must have medical records with a preventive examination completed no earlier than 1 year. And products for preparing dishes in these establishments must comply with sanitary standards.

Video

1. To prevent infection of other people, everyone in contact with a sick child should undergo a course of anthelmintic prophylaxis.
2. Any treatment with folk remedies must be agreed with a doctor. Refusal of drug therapy can lead to loss of time and complications.
3. During treatment, a sick child is isolated from healthy children. If the number of infected people does not exceed 20% of the total number, then visiting the institution is not prohibited.

Summary

Enterobiasis plagues many children; it occupies a leading place among the types of helminthic infestations. To protect your baby, you need to instill in him a love of cleanliness from an early age and explain the need for hygiene. Recognizing the symptoms is not difficult, so if you suspect the presence of pinworms, you should consult your doctor.

helminthiasis, pinworms, helminthic infestation

Sources of infection and clinical manifestations

Whatever adults who are proud of their cleanliness may think, the facts are that enterobiasis in children is caused by pets, as well as items of questionable cleanliness picked up on the street, much less often than by household toys, household items and food prepared by parents.

The fact is that the eggs and larvae of most helminths are not very adapted to survive in external environment. And pinworms need high humidity and heat for this. Sub-zero temperatures kill them in hours, and dryness and ultraviolet radiation kill them in minutes. So they are “not residents” in the environment. And even if it seems that there may be several sources of infection, in reality there is only one source - someone from the baby’s immediate environment.

Ways of transmission of worms

Pinworms in a child live in the lower intestines and crawl out in order to lay eggs at the very edge of the anal sphincter, from where they are expected to be released into the environment cal. In practice this is what happens. But since the vast majority of adults and children now do not come into contact with intestinal solid waste, where great danger represent the hands and skin of the wearer, especially in the anus area. Pinworm eggs readily stick to parts of the body.

• Fingers . Mainly when scratching the anus and genital area.
• Surfaces. This is everything that the child then touches: diapers, toys, food products and other household items common to mother and her baby.
• Linen. Underwear and bed. It becomes contaminated when adult females lay eggs.
• Mouth, eyes, ears, nose. The scenario with constant “replenishment” of the colony already living in the intestines due to the repeated introduction of fresh eggs is the most common.
• Feet of flies, cockroaches. The insects then transfer the eggs picked up from one surface to another. They can “stick” them to human skin if they sit on it.

Symptoms of pinworms in children

Enterobiasis (pinworms) in children manifests itself mainly as itching in the area of ​​the butt and genitals. Itching tends to intensify in the second half of the night and in the morning, and it is caused by female pinworms crawling onto the skin of the perineum and laying eggs on it. Scratching sooner or later leads to redness and even a weeping rash, especially in warm time years or with reduced hygiene.

In addition, with enterobiasis in children, and especially under the age of one year, the following symptoms may be observed.

• Discomfort in the abdomen. Its severity ranges from rumbling and gas to colic and spasms.
• Nausea . In most cases it occurs on an empty stomach.
• Urge to defecate. Moreover, without turning into diarrhea, since they are associated with irritation of the rectum due to pinworms in a child, and not with the quality of the food mass itself.
• Urinating in a dream. Most often it is caused by pinworms in children under 7 years of age.
• Tendency to masturbate. Especially if the worms have already managed to infect the urethra/vagina or other external/internal parts of the child’s genitourinary system.

Signs of intoxication

In addition to reactions from the stomach, intestines and organs located near the site of invasion, children infected with any type of worms experience a number of neurological abnormalities, as well as reactions from the immune system. They are due to the fact that all worms, during their life processes, secrete strong neurotoxins into the intestinal cavity (and therefore into the blood), which have the ability to suppress the immune system.

As the concentration increases harmful substances in the child’s blood and progress:

• headache;
• slight increase in temperature;
• skin rash like urticaria;
• increased fatigue;
• aching pain in the joints;
• unfocused attention.

But the existence of a relationship between enterobiasis (pinworms) in children and appendicitis has not been convincingly proven. But it is also true that among children infected with worms, the percentage of those with appendicitis is slightly higher.

How older child, the less clearly the secondary signs of enterobiasis may be expressed - up to just itching at night. The same applies to adult patients, who for years may not even suspect they have a helminthic infestation. But in children under 5 years of age with enterobiasis, moodiness increases, appetite decreases, irritability develops, bad dream, cognitive skills decline.

Diagnostics

Judging the presence of worms only by persistent itching and/or even the appearance of erosions in the anal area is dangerous, since this symptom accompanies many other pathologies of the rectum - from rectal fissures, polyps and hemorrhoids to malignant tumor. Therefore, only the presence of helminth eggs in children can be considered confirmation of the diagnosis.

Considering that pinworms lay eggs on the skin throughout the perineum, it is useless to look for them in the feces - you need a smear or scraping closer to the exit from the rectum.

How is enterobiasis determined?

A smear for enterobiasis (pinworms) in children is taken using ordinary tape, and scraping, which is carried out using a match with cotton wool dipped in a solution of soda or glycerin, is left mainly for adults. There are three rules for conducting such diagnostics.

1. It is better to examine all household members at the same time. This will help to compile an accurate list of pinworm carriers on this moment. They will also have to be treated simultaneously to avoid re-infection from each other.
2. The smear or scraping must be repeated after two weeks. The fact is that the life cycle of each pinworm is about a month. Therefore, a negative diagnostic result may be due to the fact that the study took place precisely at a period when the adult individuals had all died and the new generation had not yet matured.
3. It is better to do a smear or scraping in the morning. The chances of detecting worm eggs increase if the procedure is carried out before the first bowel movement or act of hygiene of the skin around the anus.

Not too common, but reliable diagnostic sign- detection of yellowish dried lumps about 3 mm in diameter on the child’s underwear. Most likely, these are female pinworms, since they die immediately after successfully laying eggs.

And if you suspect that they have infected other organs, you may need to additional tests: blood test, ultrasound, intestinal endoscopy, scraping from the genital mucosa.

Drug treatment

So, the choice of how to treat enterobiasis in children depends only on us. But clinical guidelines, currently in effect, propose treating pinworms in children using the following active ingredients.

• Albendazole. Deworming tablets based on it are popular in all age categories and are recommended for use in children over one year of age. Albendazole is the active ingredient in Nemozol and a number of other drugs for enterobiasis in children, but it can also be bought in the form of a drug of the same name.
• Mebendazole. Its intestinal absorption, in contrast to albendazole, is often higher than expected. That is why it is indicated for use only at the age of two years. Mebendazole can be found in the base, for example, Vermox.
• Pyrantel. This antibiotic is considered the most universal; it is indicated even for infants. Many products have been created on its basis, including “Nemotsid”, similar in name to “Nemozol”, as well as “Helmintox”.

Therapeutic regimens

Treatment regimens for these antibiotics may vary depending on the characteristics and form of the drug. A suspension is most often indicated for children, as it has a reduced dosage active substance, it is easier to give to a child and is better tolerated by the digestive tract. Therefore, if we do not know what to choose, it is better to choose syrup instead of tablets. But if we talk exclusively about these means, then they are taken according to the following principle.

• "Nemozol". In the form of a suspension, it is prescribed once after a meal in the amount of 10 ml (children under two years old) or 20 ml (children aged two years and older). The medicine is prescribed to all infected family members at the same time.
• "Vermox". For enterobiasis (pinworms) in children, it is used once - in the morning after breakfast, at a dosage of 100 mg. After this, its administration should be repeated twice, each time with a two-week interval. It must be remembered that it is contraindicated for children under two years of age. In addition, Vermox has another drawback - liquid forms There is no release of it, only tablets.
• "Pyrantel". Its dose must be calculated based on 10 mg of the drug per kilogram of the patient’s weight - both syrup and tablets. You only need to drink it once in the morning after meals. No re-appointment is required.

It should be remembered that anti-worm medications themselves are almost not absorbed and act only where they are needed - in the intestinal cavity. However, their absorption increases sharply when eating foods rich in fat, which can lead to poisoning of the liver (it processes all types of fats) and blood (poison not processed by the liver enters it). Therefore, eating fatty foods is strictly prohibited during the day before and two more days after taking the product!

Use of Piperazine

It also doesn’t hurt to keep in mind that the toxin we give to the child along with the pill remains a toxin. Therefore, with an uncomplicated, quickly detected invasion, it is sometimes more rational to give all adult family members the medicine prescribed by the doctor, and the baby - Piperazine.

Piperazine adipate in its basis has earned a lot good reviews for young mothers who used it, it is approved for use during pregnancy and lactation. The child should be given it once a day, for five days, an hour before meals:

• children under one year of age are prescribed no more than 400 mg of the drug;
• aged one to three years- no more than 600 mg;
• between the ages of three and five years- no more than 1 g.

Therapy with folk remedies

In addition to piperazine, herbal treatment can also be carried out at home. It is believed that traditional treatment helminthiasis is much safer than medical treatment, but here it is necessary to emphasize several points that its adherents prefer to keep silent about.

• Low efficiency. Helminthic infestations, including enterobiasis (pinworms) in children, occur in rural areas (that is, where they are most often treated with herbs) three times more often than in urban areas. This is due to the difference in standards of personal and household hygiene, as well as the density of contact with sources of infection - soil, well water, manure as fertilizer. But a significant contribution is also made by the greatly reduced pharmaceutical drugs effectiveness of treatment. It leads to more infections from each carrier.
• Plant poisons are also toxins. The absolute favorites in the fight against pinworms are pumpkin seeds, wormwood infusion and garlic. All these plants are also partially poisonous. And the absorption of toxins from them by the intestinal walls is several times higher than that of the same pyrantel (no more than 5%) and mebendazole (maximum 10%).
• Difficulty of use in children. Taking these medications is not nearly as convenient as taking a suspension. And if among adult family members the difference is almost imperceptible, then attempts to feed/drink one year old baby desperately bitter decoction of wormwood or garlic gruel - an undertaking not for faint-hearted parents. Meanwhile herbal remedies- a weak anthelmintic, which does not work from the first days. So, the course of the chosen remedy will most likely have to be supplemented with tincture of motherwort or valerian.
• Not suitable for allergy sufferers. Children and adults suffering from allergies are strictly prohibited from taking any folk remedies!

Thus, traditional treatment is also applicable to such simple invasions as enterobiasis (pinworms). It’s just that you can’t get as many “bonuses” from it as it seems.

Recipe with pumpkin seeds

Peculiarities . What is important in them is the greenish film that separates the grain from its skin. It is saturated with cucurbin, a natural toxin with even doctor-confirmed effectiveness against worms. Perhaps the most suitable option for a child to take them is seeds with honey.

You will need:

• 50 g of raw and peeled seeds;
• one dessert spoon of drinking water;
• half a teaspoon of flower honey.

Preparation

1. Grind the seeds and film in a food processor.
2. Dilute the resulting “flour” with water to the consistency of yogurt.
3. Add honey, stir again.

How to use . Give your child the entire portion at once in the morning on an empty stomach. In the evening he can be given an enema or a laxative. You need to take this “paste” for three days, then take a week break and repeat the course.

Infusion of wormwood

Peculiarities . Wormwood is saturated with tannins - organic poisons and allergens that are unsafe for health. But even official medicine recognizes its choleretic and antiseptic properties.

You will need:

• one tablespoon of chopped dry or fresh wormwood herb;
• 200 ml of boiling water.

Preparation

1. Pour wormwood into a thermos and pour boiling water over it.
2. Let it brew for half an hour and strain.

How to use . Give your child 50 ml of infusion twice a day for three days before meals. After two weeks, repeat the course.

About fresh garlic

It is best to add fresh garlic, ground into a pulp, to any of the above remedies. But if the child agrees to eat it with food, so much the better. Its anthelmintic properties have never been convincingly proven. However, garlic lovers actually suffer from enterobiasis and ascariasis less often than those who try to avoid it.

Most likely, the caustic juice of garlic does not destroy, but simply irritates not only the digestive tract, but also the “living creatures” living in it. Its juice contains toxic alkaloids. Although there are not too many of them in garlic. But hemlock and aconite contain the same substances, only in higher concentrations. That’s why poisoning with them is often fatal. Something to think about, isn't it? In any case, fresh garlic and onions are contraindicated for stomach and/or intestinal ulcers.

Prevention of helminthic infestation

All helminthic infestations have one common property: high hygiene of housing, food eaten and hands reduces their likelihood by two to three times without any additional measures. That's why best prevention- a ban, but not on contact with domestic animals, but on eating sand from the yard sandbox and unwashed fruit from the garden at the dacha.

Due to the nature of the laying of eggs by female pinworms (on the skin, and not in the intestine itself), its consequences are rarely as serious as, for example, with trichinosis. But pinworms cause gradual suppression of the immune system, neurological disorders and developmental delays. Therefore, early teaching of children to personal hygiene helps prevent not only enterobiasis, but also a host of other, much more serious problems with health, and treatment of pinworms in a child will simply become unnecessary.

Print