Worms in kids

Few of my friends are always  worried about their child's growth. Natasha always keeps me asking why her daughter is not gaining weight and why she falls sick again and again. The worms are parasites which feed off the host’s body and eventually result in malnutrition, affecting the healthy growth of the child. Worms may get entry into abdomen and create health problems . 
        Though all age groups can get worms, kids are more susceptible. Worms in abdomen can affect the appetite and ultimately growth of a child. When a child is not eating properly we assume he is showing tantrums or too busy in playing and ignore it but it can be worms those are troubling the stomach.

When to suspect worms?

1. Itchy bottom, which is usually worse at night
2. Redness around the bottom area
3. Restlessness due to itching
4. Difficulty in falling asleep
5. Visible worms – small, white and 8-13 mm long (often mistaken for bits of toilet paper!)
6. Itchiness around the vagina
7. Abdominal pain, 
8. Nausea and vomiting.
9. Weight loss
10. Trouble sleeping
11. Blood in stool
12. Internal bleeding can lead to anaemia
13. Rarely if there are many worms , there can be blockage of intestine
14. PICA-eating unedible, non-nutritive things such as soil, chalk, paper etc.

There is a broad consensus that the soil-transmitted helminths (Ascaris, Trichuris, and the two hookworms – Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus) have a harmful effect on children's growth and cognitive development[10] 

Causes : 

 Most of these worms and parasites gain entry into the body either through the mouth or through the skin of the feet. Kids are more susceptible because they put everything in mouth, may play bare feet , share toys with each other, play with kids in proximity ,so they are more exposed to the worms.

• The infected soil is the most common cause of worms in children. 
• Unhygienic surroundings and habits such as not washing hands after defecation can cause intestinal worms.
• Contaminated water.
• Under cooked food and fruits or vegetables infected with worms, raw or under cooked meat, especially pork, may have worms that can infest even the brain.
  
  
  
• From infected animals, pets with ticks and worms, cattle and fish that live in the same premises as the child.
• Children can also acquire worms from other kids and adults, if they are unhygienic. Worm eggs can live under fingernails, and can be easily passed on to another person if not washed off.

There are different types of intestinal worms. The most commonly noticed parasites in India are roundworms, hookworms, threadworms and tape-worms. Roundworms are giant intestinal parasites measuring 15 to 25 cms. in length. They are off-white in colour and are most frequently infect children. Eggs produced by them are passed in stools. Roundworm eggs may remain alive in the soil for many months.roundworm can cause wheezing and a dry cough

Hookworms are small worms measuring upto one cm. long. They attach themselves to the walls of intestines within the bowel. They can cause serious bleeding and lead to anaemia.

Pinworms are small white worms about 6.35 cm. in length.

Threadworms are small cottony thread like which can be noticed in the stools of children. The female worm, one cm. in length, moves at night to anal canal to lay its eggs. 

There are more than 30 different types of tapeworm infections may affect the human body. They are flat, ribbon-like worms that can grow up to 15-30 ft .

Test to diagnose worms:

A diagnosis of threadworms can also be made by the "sticky tape test". You can get this tape kit from your GP. Do this test in the morning before your child has a bath or has a poo. Separate the buttocks, applying a piece of sticky transparent tape (eg scotch tape), to the area just outside of the anus and between the buttocks. Stick the tape on the skin, remove it and stick it onto the glass slide included in the kit from your doctor. Your doctor will examine the slide for worms or worm eggs.

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Preventive Methods :

Don't restrict kids with the fear of worms as some worms are part and parcel of our life and we can't prevent them.But we can definitely limit their entry and periodically treat them as a preventive measure.

a.	Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly. This is necessary because the soil in the fields may be contaminated with the ova of the round worm.
b.	Drinking water should be filtered and boiled. Care should be taken that not to contaminate the cooked food and water  through unhygienic handling by a person carrying ova in the finger-nails.
c.	Child should be cleaned properly after passing the stool, and his faeces disposed off properly.
d.	Washing off the hands after passing stool and before eating is mandatory.
e.	Nails should be kept short and clean, as the nails are places where the ova of the worms usually reside.
f.	In case of threadworm infection, where anal itching is present, it is advisable to apply a suitable cream.
g.	The underclothes should be changed daily and bed linen kept clean.
h.	Avoid playing barefoot in the fields where the soil may be contaminated with the ova of the hookworm. The ova of hookworm enter through the foot and enter the blood stream and grow into adult worms.
i.	Regular deworming  helps in preventing infestation. Treatment: Rather than encouraging children to stop sharing and inhibit their social development, the best option is to ensure you have access to the appropriate deworming treatments. An over-the-counter or prescription antiworm medicine given in single dose and repeated in 2 weeks. The doctor may decide to treat the entire family, especially if your child has had worm infection before. Intestinal worms also multiply within the body by laying eggs, which cannot be easily removed by medicines. So it is important to get your child dewormed frequently, at least once every six months.