Pinworms in children: how to treat with medications and folk remedies

Parasites from the primary cavity worms, called pinworms, settle in the human body and cause enterobiasis. These uninvited guests parasitize exclusively people, and according to various medical data, pinworms are infected from 30 to 90% of children. The problem of enterobiasis is that its symptoms are not always pronounced, and parents do not even know that their child is suffering from parasites. This text will tell you how to detect pinworms in children, how to treat and what measures to take in the first place, and whether folk medicine can help in this case.

How do pinworms get into the body?

Pinworm eggs enter the human gastrointestinal tract only in two ways: contact-household and oral-fecal. Because of this, there is literally a cycle of parasites in the body. A child can become infected with these helminths in kindergarten or at school, through contact with other infected children or animals, so pinworms settle in his intestines and stomach. At night (most often it happens at night), the female pinworm crawls out to the anal passage and lays eggs.

This process is accompanied by itching, so the child can scratch the anus without waking up, respectively, pinworm eggs also appear on his hands, underwear and bedding. Later, they will apply to everything that the baby touched - clothes, toys, pet hair, and will be passed on to parents and other relatives. According to sanitary services, there are four to five thousand parasite eggs constantly inside any public toilet.

Small children learn about the world by touching it with their hands. It is difficult to prohibit the child from touching any surfaces, in addition, having lost his balance, the baby can fall at any moment, grabbing the first support that comes along. Infection of people occurs through handshakes, other contact. When it comes to a mother and a child, of course, a woman will not run to wash her hands after hugging her child. This is how parasites infect entire families.

Sooner or later, pinworm eggs will again enter the intestines through the oral cavity, and the process of maturation of new larvae will start. The larvae hatch in the intestines in a couple of days, and it takes them another two to three weeks to turn into adults ready to lay eggs. It is during this period that reinfection (self-infection) must be stopped so that the child is cured.

Symptoms of enterobiasis

Pinworm infection is not as harmless as many people think. However, the symptoms of enterobiasis are very blurred, and if the child has strong immunity, then the parasites may not appear for a long time. Most often, parents find pinworms in children who still go to the potty - in the feces it is easy to see white threadlike worms up to a centimeter in size.

The same picture can be seen in the diaper of infants. Children are susceptible to pinworms from birth; in infants, symptoms may be more pronounced:

• moody behavior, poor sleep;
• unreasonable physical activity in the middle of the night;
• no weight gain or weight loss;
• indigestion, refusal to breastfeed or complementary foods.

Another characteristic, although not always mandatory symptom is itching at the anus, which intensifies towards night. The child may not complain of discomfort, but parents should notice if the baby is constantly scratching the bottom. Even if the child does it imperceptibly or in a dream, after a few days redness, peeling, and even small wounds are formed around the anus. This is a reason to ask the baby about the reasons for these manifestations or immediately go to the laboratory with a feces analysis.

It must be understood that only adults are found in the feces, in order to make an analysis for pinworm eggs, it is necessary to resort to a different diagnostic method.

How to detect parasites?

Scraping from the perianal region is most effective for enterobiasis. So that the results are not distorted, the scraping is taken early in the morning, when the child has not yet gone to the toilet "for big", it is also worth abandoning all hygiene procedures. This analysis will not cause pain or discomfort to the baby - the doctor will simply attach a special adhesive tape to the anus, on which pinworm eggs will linger if infection occurs.

If the analysis is done for preventive purposes, that is, the parents did not see the parasites, the doctor should conduct a survey. There are indirect signs of enterobiasis, according to which the problem is diagnosed. There is a high risk of infection with parasites if the child:

1. Complains of aching abdominal pains, more often in the navel area.
2. Suffers from sudden mood swings.
3. He gets tired quickly, easily loses his temper.
4. Often suffers from colds and infectious diseases (against the background of reduced immunity).
5. Does not gain weight with excellent appetite.
6. Experiencing severe salivation.
7. Complains of nausea, dizziness.
8. Differs in a pale complexion, dark circles under the eyes.

Such symptoms require medical diagnosis, and if the analysis for parasite eggs is confirmed, treatment should be started immediately, and it is not unlikely that the whole family will have to undergo a treatment course. Why is it so important to get rid of pinworms as soon as possible?

Complications of pinworm infection

As already clear from the above, even a family trip to a shopping center or a child's pastime in the playroom can threaten with pinworm infection. Fortunately, these are not the most terrible parasites for humans. Pinworms live in the intestines but do not affect or destroy the digestive system. However, the unpleasant consequences of enterobiasis still happen.

First of all, parasitic invasion has a detrimental effect on a fragile child's body, depriving it of strength and endurance. Pinworms multiply, and when a whole colony already lives in the intestines of the child, the worms begin to "take" nutrients, trace elements and vitamins from the child. Long-term invasion can lead to the following consequences and complications:

1. Disorders of the nervous system up to epileptic seizures.
2. Due to irritation of the anus and genitals, the child can introduce bacteria into the genitourinary system, dysuria, balanitis, leukorrhea, and inflammation of a different nature develop.
3. With massive infection, worms can penetrate the peritoneum, then the likelihood of peritonitis is high.
4. If pinworms accumulate in the cecum, they can lead to inflammation of the appendix.
5. For girls, there is a danger of vulvovaginitis if parasites crawl into the external genitals.
6. Intoxication of the body, allergic reactions.

As you can see, the list looks quite unpleasant and prompts you to immediately take measures to cleanse the body of pinworms. How can you do this effectively? Combine treatment and prevention. Let's discuss these points.

Prevention of pinworms

In order to prevent repeated self-infection or infection within a family or group, you need to resort to preventive measures that need to be followed regularly, on an ongoing basis and all people who have close contact with each other with a friend. Prevention includes hygiene requirements, both for the child and adults, and for the premises.

Table 1. Hygiene and cleaning at risk of parasite infestation

Applied to people	Applied to things and everyday life
Make sure your fingernails are cut as short as possible.	Treat the toilet lid with a disinfectant solution, use toilet products that kill germs and living organisms under the rim.
Wash underwear at high temperatures, additionally iron with an iron.	Wash the bathroom floor with a cleaning agent at least once a day.
Thoroughly wash your hands after each visit to the bathroom, outdoors, use antibacterial wipes, sprays, gels.	Carry out wet cleaning in the apartment, if a case of infection in the family has already been identified, for the first time wipe the surfaces with a disinfectant.
Do not bite nails, make sure that the child does not stick fingers and other questionable objects in his mouth.	At least once a week, change the bed linen, before laying it, the sheet must be ironed with a hot iron.
Daily wash, wash the child, using products for baby skin.	If cats, dogs or other mammals live in the house, they are given anthelminthic prophylactic treatment once a quarter.
Do not allow the child and do not sit on the toilet in public places, refuse to swim in fresh water.	Remove shoes in places inaccessible to children and pets.
Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables, bring meat, poultry and fish to readiness, excluding half-baked type of food.	Use repellents during warmer months, as mosquitoes and flies can carry parasites.

Pinworms in children: how to treat?

If tests show the presence of worm eggs in the feces, the parent should contact a parasitologist or pediatrician to get a treatment regimen. At the moment, there are modern drugs that allow you to get rid of parasites after the first (only) use. Consider which pharmaceuticals are effective against pinworms.

Treatment of pinworms with pharmacies

When purchasing medicines to treat a child from pinworms, it is worthwhile to understand that the whole family is infected with parasites with one hundred percent probability. Adults can additionally be tested for enterobiasis or consult a pediatrician regarding the choice of a drug for the whole family. It must be understood that there are no so-called "children's" pills for parasites - the same remedy can be used by an adult and a child, but the dosage will depend on weight and other characteristics.

A wide range of drugs that relieve pinworms are now presented in pharmacies. Here are the most popular ones.

Pirantel - strong and effective remedy that is suitable for children from one year old. To prevent circular contamination, it is recommended to take a second dose a week after the first, and then start taking the probiotic. "Pirantel" has an aggressive effect and after treatment will require the restoration of trace elements that normalize the digestion process.

"Dekaris" - tablets that are used in the treatment of pinworms, including in children. The drug is taken once, it is better to do it before going to bed. Among the contraindications for "Decaris" are infections and inflammatory processes in the body, as well as neoplasms of any genesis.

"Nemozol" - an effective remedy for children from two years old. The drug has two forms of release: tableted or in suspension. This is convenient for children who refuse or cannot swallow pills. The drug is also taken once; people with liver diseases should refrain from choosing it.

"Vermox" - is considered one of the safest and most popular remedies for pinworms. The tablets have a relatively mild effect, but they also need to be taken three days in a row, one at a time. A repeated course in this case is carried out in two to three weeks.

"Helmintox" - a preparation in the form of a suspension, which is especially well accepted by children due to its pleasant berry taste. It paralyzes the action of pinworms in the intestines, after which the immobilized parasites come out with feces. It is also a very safe drug, as its action is not based on worm poisoning.

In general, all drugs for parasites are similar to each other, but the choice of treatment should be strictly under the supervision of a doctor. Firstly, anthelmintic drugs somehow "hit" the kidneys and liver, and secondly, they can cause severe allergies and disorders of the digestive tract in a child. In order not to additionally injure the child's body by taking the medicine again, some parents choose folk remedies as a component of a complex effect on the problem.

Folk methods of getting rid of pinworms

There are ways that people used hundreds of years ago and are still popular today. In addition to the pronounced positive effect in the fight against parasites, folk recipes have two advantages: they are easy to prepare and safe for the body. It should be noted that any of these drugs are contraindicated in infants.

Onion mixture. Onions (half an onion) are chopped and mixed with a spoonful of salt and a spoonful of sunflower oil. The resulting gruel is given to the child before bedtime for three to five days. Another bitter culture, garlic, also helps with pinworms. A couple of cloves of garlic are crushed and mixed with a little water, offering the child before bed for three days. Both methods - with onions and with garlic, must be repeated after a week. It is important that only parents who are confident in the absolute health of the child's stomach can use these recipes.

Pumpkin seeds drive parasites well. You can simply use them along with a thin film found under the shell, or you can use them as one of the ingredients in more complex recipes. So, the child needs to put cleansing enemas with boiled water for two days in a row, and on the third day to start treatment. For him, you need to take about one hundred grams of pumpkin seeds, grind them in a mortar and mix with a large spoonful of honey. The child should eat the mixture on an empty stomach and not eat for four hours. During this time, you need to give the baby a laxative and make an enema again. Thus, the intestines and stomach are completely cleansed.

Video - Enterobiasis. School of Doctor Komarovsky

Summing up

Pinworms are an unpleasant attack, but so common that any person, and even more so, a parent of a small child, has encountered it. Do not be upset: it is enough to undergo a one-day course of treatment to get rid of the parasites. Doctors believe that it is drugs that will work in the best way, since folk remedies are unlikely to be able to go through the entire gastrointestinal tract and start working in the intestines.

Due to the fact that enterobiasis is very common, pharmaceutical companies have invented drugs for any age, weight and wallet. The only ones who should postpone taking anthelmintic pills are pregnant ladies. They can choose comfortable folk methods for themselves, having previously consulted with a doctor. For young children, the advice of a pediatrician is imperative before a parent goes to the pharmacy to get the medicine.