Worms in children is one problem shared by parents all over the world. Worms eat up the nutrients inside the body, making themselves healthy and your child malnourished. It really is a serious matter that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
Worms in children are more common than in adults. These parasites make the child sick, causing several health problems affecting the child’s mental and physical development. This has great implications in their performance in school too. Common worms found in children are roundworms, pinworms, hookworms and tapeworms. They get into your child’s body through direct contact with an infected child, consuming contaminated foods and drinks, as well as unsanitary practices such as putting dirty hands, fingers and toys into the mouth, and walking on the ground barefooted.
How will you know that your child has intestinal worms?
• Itchy bottom
This is a very common sign of worms in children making them irritable. Itchiness is felt in the genital area and the buttocks and often noticed early in the morning and at night.
• Irritability and abdominal pain
These signify that the worms inside your child’s stomach have already multiplied.
• Weight Loss and restlessness
Because worms consume the nutrients in your child’s body, they become lean and malnourished and prone to sickness as a result of a weak immune system.
The abovementioned symptoms may also come with fever, nausea, bloating, gas, cough, vomiting and diarrhea.
How are worms in children treated?
• Medication
The doctor may prescribe anti-parasitic or anthelmintic drug to treat your child’s intestinal worms either in liquid or tablet form. In some instances, the whole family is also treated for intestinal worms to reduce the chances of recurrence.
• Home Remedies
There are several ways to treat worms in children naturally. A tablespoon of newly ground coconut followed by 1 or 2 ounces of castor oil and 13 ounces lukewarm water mixture during breakfast is very effective in getting rid of worms naturally. Drinking fresh papaya juice with honey, powered papaya seeds with warm milk or one glass of hot water with one tablespoon of rock salt in an empty stomach can help treat intestinal worms. One cup of grated carrots every morning is proven effective in eliminating threadworms. You may also treat your child’s intestinal worms with fruit fast by simply adding higher amount of fruits into your child’s diet in 3 or 4 days such as papayas, cranberries and raw pineapples. Pineapples are particularly effective in killing tapeworms.
Preventing Worms in Children
The finest way to prevent intestinal worms from getting into your child’s body is good hygiene. Regular hand washing is really important especially before mealtime and after touching raw meats. Deter your child from scratching his or her anal area, nail biting and playing in soil and sand. Better yet, have his or her nails trimmed more often. Bathe him or her daily and change his/her underwear regularly. Change your beddings frequently and wash your clothes and towels with disinfectants.
Worms in children is a common occurrence that requires immediate treatment to keep your child healthy.
