Why do children have worms in the stomach - and how can it be prevented?

The return to routine brings with it a lot of contentment and peace, but it also brings back to our lives some things that we would rather forget, chief among them - worms in the ass.

Why do our children get infected with this disgusting thing - and what do we do about it?

Instructions

Dr. Liora Barzeg Peru

02/09/2022

Friday, September 02, 2022, 07:22 Updated: 07:32

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Someday they will probably come to visit you.

Pinworms (Photo: ShutterStock)

There are quite a few parents who feel that worms are an integral part of their lives.

The procedure is familiar - the child wakes up crying at night or complains of itching in the tusks, then the parent has severe nausea, he runs to get Vermox, and it disappears.

until next time.

Worms are often common in developing countries, but there is one particularly stubborn type that manages to overcome our cleanliness and hygiene conditions, as a developed country, and is found in almost every home in Israel - or at least came to visit once or twice.

The most common type of intestinal worms is called pinworms, or the scientific name enterobiasis or oxyuriasis.

These are pin-thin worms (hence their name), white in color, about 2-13 mm long. The males are probably smaller than the females by about half. These are very ancient worms, and they have already been found in the remains of human feces from about 10,000 years ago.

It is important to note that the children usually do not suffer from the presence of the worms themselves, but mainly from the eggs.

While the adult worms reside deep in the connection between the small and large intestine (an area we feel less), when the worm reaches maturity it migrates to the anus area where it lays its eggs.

The worms themselves can be seen without difficulty, but the eggs are microscopic in size.

How do you get infected with worms?

Worm infection is mostly common in children of kindergarten or elementary school age.

Worms may also appear in adults, but with much fewer symptoms.

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The only way to prevent feces from reaching the mouth.

Hand washing (Photo: Giphy)

The infection occurs from person to person in an uro-fecal way, that is, fecal residues that enter the mouth, and especially in crowded places such as schools, dense neighborhoods, and the like.

Therefore, maintaining personal hygiene is the best way to prevent the problem.

Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly, including under the nails, after leaving the bathroom and before eating.

How do you know that the child is infected with worms?

When the child suffers from worms, we will often notice a sudden change in the child's sleeping habits, awakenings, complaints of burning pain and itching in the buttock, retrenched children who began to suffer from urinary incontinence at night, burning in the vulva in girls and other local complaints usually.

If there is suspicion - go to the pediatrician.

A girl scratching her tusk (Photo: ShutterStock)

How are you treated?

In any such suspicion, a pediatrician should be consulted in order to perform a stool culture, in order to observe the worm eggs under the microscope, or the doctor will decide if treatment based on symptoms alone is sufficient.

Sometimes a culture will be needed to check that it is indeed pinworms and not another type of parasite, they are the most common but not the only ones.

The treatment is by a drug called mebendazole, which most of us know by the trade name Vermox.

How do you keep the rest of the household from getting infected?

When there is a child at home who suffers from worms, it is important to wash your hands well and keep them clean.

Sometimes the doctor will recommend treatment for the whole family, since this is a very contagious parasite.

You should wash all the pajamas, sheets and towels in boiling water at home, because the eggs are not visible and tend to stick easily to various surfaces that the child comes in contact with.

Are there any complications to worms?

The medical complications resulting from the presence of worms are rare, but have nevertheless been linked to inflammation of the appendix (the area where the worms reside) or in the abdominal cavity, weight loss and urinary tract infections.

• health

• parenthood

• child's health

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• worms

• Children

• Pediatrics