How to treat pinworms in children: folk remedies and drugs

Pinworms are among the most common types of worms, and even with the observance of preventive measures, it is impossible to completely eliminate the risk of infection. By themselves, these parasites do not pose a serious threat to the body, but they contribute to the development of various complications, due to which health deteriorates. Worst of all, helminthiasis can go on for a long time without pronounced symptoms, especially if the child has strong immunity.

How to identify the problem in a timely manner and how to treat pinworms in children?

Why pinworms are dangerous

Pinworm infection, or enterobiasis, leads to a gradual accumulation of toxins in the blood and tissues, which is manifested by allergic reactions. In addition, parasites reduce the supply of nutrients, vitamins and minerals necessary for a growing body, as a result of which the child is exhausted. If you do not start treatment in a timely manner, worms from the intestines penetrate the liver, bile ducts, lungs, and other organs and systems, where they cause inflammatory processes. But the bulk of pinworms are localized in the colon, provoking problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

While the number of worms is low, their vital activity does not have a big effect on the body, but these parasites multiply very quickly. Larvae reach sexual maturity in 2-4 weeks, while each female is able to lay several thousand eggs at a time. If nothing is done, pinworms can fill the entire intestine, and then the consequences will be much more serious.

Symptoms of enterobiasis

The main symptom of pinworm infection is itching in the anal area. In the initial stage of the disease, it is very weak and does not cause discomfort, but in the future it increases significantly. Itching is usually observed at night, when the female worms lay their eggs.

Itching is caused by a special acid that worms release during clutch. With a strong infection, you can see the pinworms themselves in the feces or around the child's anus: they look like thin white threads up to 7-10 mm long.

There are other symptoms of enterobiasis:

• restless sleep, nervousness, sudden mood swings;
• decreased appetite, nausea, weight loss;
• increased salivation;
• pain near the navel;
• bad breath;
• stool disorders for no apparent reason;
• pallor of the skin, the appearance of dark circles under the eyes;
• frequent ARVI, runny nose.

Girls may additionally experience nocturnal urinary incontinence due to irritation of the urethra and discharge from the vulva. In infants, the disease is manifested by weight loss and frequent crying, they become more capricious, they can refuse to breast, and do not sleep well.

Treatment remedies

A large number of drugs are used against pinworms, but all of them are more or less toxic. They should be prescribed by the attending physician and only after confirming the presence of pinworms in the body. The dosage is also determined by a specialist and may differ significantly from that indicated in the instructions for the drug. The doctor takes into account not only the age and weight of the little patient, but also the general state of health, the presence of concomitant diseases and other factors affecting the treatment process.

Important! To get rid of worms and quickly restore health, treatment must be carried out in a comprehensive manner. This means that in addition to antihelminthic agents, it is necessary to use enterosorbents to remove toxins, enzymes to normalize digestion, as well as vitamins and minerals that contribute to overall strengthening organism. After completing the course, the child should be given an antiparasitic agent again to exclude re-infection.

Antihelminthic drugs

For young children, these preparations are usually available as a suspension or chewable tablets with a pleasant taste. Thanks to this, there are no problems with taking the medicine, and the child is happy to swallow the required dose. Below are the most popular anthelmintic drugs that are highly effective.

Name	Characteristics
"Piperazine"	The least toxic drug from the anthelmintic group. It is produced in the form of a solution and tablets, has no age limit. Treatment is carried out in courses of five days with an interval of one week. Depending on the degree of infection, it may take from 1 to 3 courses. Take the medicine 2 times a day one hour before meals or one hour after it. Piperazine treatment does not require dieting or laxatives, but strict hygiene is imperative. Contraindications to taking the drug are renal failure, central nervous system lesions, individual intolerance. Side effects are manifested by headache, nausea, muscle weakness.
"Nourished"	The drug is potent, has a number of contraindications and side effects. Available in the form of a suspension and chewable tablets, it is not prescribed for children under 2 years of age. The medicine should be taken after meals, once, with a repetition after 20 days. The maximum dosage for a child under 12 years old is 200 mg, over 12 - 400 mg, that is, one tablet. The drug is contraindicated for those who have liver and kidney problems, circulatory disorders, hypersensitivity to albendazole. Side effects are manifested by headache, drowsiness, flatulence, nausea, and decreased visual acuity.
"Vermox"	A very effective remedy for pinworms, available in pill form. Not prescribed for children under 2 years of age. It is applied once, with a repetition after 3 weeks. The day before taking the medicine, doctors recommend giving the child only liquid food, and 12 hours after taking it, give a laxative. For children under 10 years old, a single dose is 50 mg, over 10 years old - 100 mg. Contraindications include: hypersensitivity, ulcerative colitis, liver pathology. Side effects are manifested by dizziness, nausea, allergic rashes.
"Dekaris"	A potent remedy, not prescribed for children under 3 years of age. The medicine is produced in the form of tablets, it is taken once with a repetition after 3 weeks. The drug is given in the evening before bedtime, the dosage is 2.5 mg / kg of the child's weight. Contraindication is individual intolerance to levomizole, liver and kidney problems. Side effects are rare and usually mild. They can manifest as nausea, abdominal pain, and upset stools.
"Pirantel"	A popular drug, available in the form of tablets and suspensions. Thanks to its pleasant taste and aroma, the child gladly swallows the medicine. It is taken once with a repetition after 3 weeks, the treatment does not require preliminary preparation and the use of laxatives. You need to take after meals, the tablets should be chewed thoroughly. The dosage is 10 mg / kg of body weight. The drug is contraindicated in case of individual intolerance to its components, liver failure. Side effects are manifested by abdominal pain, drowsiness, and upset stools.
"Mebendazole"	The drug is available in the form of syrup, suspension and tablets, it is prescribed for children from 2 years of age. Treatment does not require preliminary preparation, but it is recommended to exclude fatty foods from the diet. The medicine is given once, regardless of food, repeated after 2-3 weeks. For children under 10 years old, a single dose is 25-50 mg, over 10 years old - 100 mg. The drug is contraindicated in diabetes mellitus, liver and kidney problems, ulcerative colitis. Side effects are rare and are manifested by headache, stool disorders, urticaria.

A day after taking the anthelmintic drug, it is necessary to give the child something of the enterosorbents: the most popular drugs are Enterosgel, Polysorb, Smecta.

Will fit and Activated carbon, the main thing is not to use it earlier than in a day, otherwise the effect of the main drug will be reduced.

Sorbents should be given for 2-3 days, no more, since they reduce the absorption of nutrients in the digestive tract. After that comes the turn of enzymes: you can use drugs such as "Pancreatin", "Festal" and others. The dosage will be determined by the attending physician, based on the state of the body, the weight of the child and his age.

Traditional medicine

Folk remedies help get rid of pinworms, but not as effectively as medicines. Almost all of them require long-term use and do not always taste good to children, which complicates the treatment process. In addition, such funds also have side effects, so use them with caution.

1. Garlic treatment. Garlic not only perfectly expels worms, but also has a beneficial effect on the immune system. You need to consume it daily for three weeks, eating a small clove during meals. This treatment is suitable for children over 8 years of age, in whom the digestive system is no longer so susceptible to the irritating effect of this product. The main problem is that children do not like garlic, and few people want to use it for so long.
   

   Garlic acts as a natural anthelmintic

2. Decoction of tansy or wormwood. Plants are crushed and brewed at the rate of 0.5 liters of water per tablespoon of raw materials. The filtered broth is given to drink on an empty stomach in half a glass for 3-5 days. The method is very effective, but not suitable for young children, as well as for those who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract and liver. In addition, the broth tastes bitter, so getting a child to drink it is not easy.
   

   Tansy decoction

3. Pumpkin seeds. Dried pumpkin seeds are ground and mixed with a little honey. Give on an empty stomach in the morning, and you need to eat everything, after 4 hours you should take a laxative, and after another half an hour, do an enema. The number of seeds is calculated by age: up to 4 years old - 75 g, up to 7 years old - 100 g, over 7 - 150 g. You can make a decoction of seeds: for this, the specified volume should be doubled and brewed in 0.5 liters of water. Kids will eat such a medicine with pleasure, but its effectiveness is not always high.
   

   Pumpkin seeds. Cucurbitacin, contained in them, paralyzes the nervous system of helminths

4. Beetroot and carrot juice. Beet juice removes toxins well, cleanses the blood and intestines, and has a beneficial effect on the immune system. Since it has a specific taste and not everyone likes it, it must be mixed with carrot juice. The medicine is prepared as follows: raw beets are peeled and crushed, squeezed out of juice, placed in the refrigerator for 3 hours. Then add carrot juice (proportions are arbitrary) and give the child a drink on an empty stomach in the morning and evening before bedtime. You cannot drink more than 100 ml at a time. The duration of treatment is 2 weeks.
   

   Beetroot and carrot juice

If the child does not experience any improvement or adverse reactions occur (abdominal pain, upset stool, nausea, rash), treatment with folk remedies should be stopped immediately and turned to to the doctor.

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