Pinworms in a child: methods of treatment and prevention of the disease

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

If you notice that the baby has become restless, has difficulty falling asleep, while constantly adjusting his panties or trying to scratch his anus, then you should start to worry. Perhaps the child has pinworms.

This is one of the common types of helminths that look like small round white worms. Female pinworms can reach up to 1.5 cm in length, and usually they can be found. The females of these intestinal nematodes lay eggs in the folds of the anus - they are able to attach from 5 to 15 thousand pieces at a time. And new worms ripen after 6 hours.

When a baby scratches his buttocks, these eggs are laid under his nails, they get into his mouth with food, and a second cycle of infection begins. That is why one of the main methods by which pinworms in a child can be removed is meticulous hygiene. After all, the females of these intestinal nematodes live only until the moment of laying eggs, and the life expectancy of males under favorable conditions does not exceed 3 months.

If you noticedanxiety in your child, then carefully examine his feces and the area of \u200b\u200bthe anus. So you can detect pinworms even with the naked eye. It happens that parents fail to notice worms, then it is better to consult a pediatrician, give feces and a three-fold swab from the anus. If, as a result of the tests, pinworms are found in a child, it is imperative to carry out treatment. But remember that without reliable prevention of re-infection, without careful observance of all hygiene standards, any medicines may be ineffective.

Any pediatrician or infectious disease specialist should tell you how to cure pinworms in a child and choose an effective antihelminthic drug that is suitable for him by age. But the fight against these intestinal parasites is primarily the concern of parents. In order to get rid of them, it is not enough to wash your hands thoroughly with soap - the baby needs to be washed and changed underwear several times a day. Panties should be washed, rinsed and ironed. The bed set should be new every day, old sheets and duvet covers are removed, washed and ironed with a hot steam iron. Only after such processing can they be used.

In addition, it is important to prevent the baby from scratching the anus or the area near it. Otherwise, the question of how to remove pinworms from a child will torment you for a very long time, because a new infection will constantly occur from dirty hands. Even regular washing will not save them. No parent will be able to ensure that the baby thoroughly disinfects his hands after each touch to the buttocks. Tight underwear can save the situation. Do not be afraid that it will squeeze the baby's organs. After all, if a child has pinworms, you need to do everything possible so that he cannot touch the area of \u200b\u200bthe priests. By the way, in order to relieve the itching a little, many people advise using a cotton swab, richly moistened with petroleum jelly. It can be used by the baby at night, at the time when the worms begin to show particular activity.

Do not underestimate the danger of these parasites, many believe that there can be no particular harm from small worms. In fact, they have a negative effect on the body as a whole: sticking to the intestinal walls, they cause inflammation. As a result of this, the child may develop diarrhea, his absorption of food worsens, digestion is disturbed, his appetite disappears, he loses weight. Scratching leads to anal fissures and dermatitis in the perineum. Pinworms also affect the nervous system: they disrupt restful sleep, cause a decrease in concentration, memory impairment.