Ascaris in children

Modern medicine knows the most diverse helminths, capable of harming the human body, while they are dangerous both for the child and adult body. There are often cases when ascarids are found in children. Ascariasis is a rather dangerous disease that requires special treatment.

Ascarids in children: ways of infection and stages of parasite development

Ascarid is a fairly large helminth, whose body length, on average, is 40 centimeters. Unlike other parasites, ascaris has neither suckers, nor hooks for attachment in the host's body. But the muscular system is developed very strongly - the parasite always moves along the intestine towards the food.

Female ascarids can produce hundreds of eggs per day. They go out together with the feces outward. As a rule, those children who play in sand or with the ground most often get infected, do not wash their hands before eating. In addition, eggs can enter the body and along with poorly washed fruits or vegetables. In some cases, carriers can be cockroaches, flies and other insects.

In the intestine, larvae develop from the eggs, which then penetrate the mucous membrane and move along the body with the blood flow - thus the ascarids in the lungs appear. Then they fall into the mouth, where the child swallows them again. Entering the intestine, the larvae become adults.

Ascaris in children: symptoms of the disease

The first signs appear even in the development phase of the larvae in the respiratory system - the child can complain of chest pain, in some cases there is a dry cough and rash on the skin, which soon pass.

The life activity of ascarids in the small intestine, as a rule, is almost imperceptible. A child may lose some of his appetite, or vice versa. Start eating too much. Sometimes children complain of mild pain in the lower abdomen, as well as a headache. From time to time, diarrhea is observed. In some cases, symptoms may be more pronounced - lethargy, loss of appetite, severe diarrhea.

Askaridy in children: methods of treatment and diagnosis

In order to determine the presence of helminths in the body, it is necessary to conduct an analysis of the stool in which the eggs of these parasites are found. In addition, in patients with children, the level of eosinophils increases, as well as the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation - this will be reported by blood test data.

As for the methods of treatment, in general, special preparations are used against helminths. Only a doctor can prescribe a drug - this can not be done by yourself. If ascaridosis does not lend itself to conservative treatment, then a patient in the lumen of the intestine is injected with a special tube through which oxygen enters the body. Because the ascarids are very sensitive to this gas and live under anaerobic conditions, then at a high oxygen concentration they perish.

Askaridosis and possible complications

With timely detection and treatment, this disease passes without consequences. But in some, more severe cases, a large number of parasites can accumulate in the lumen of the intestine, which can lead to vomiting, and sometimes the development of peritonitis. In addition, if parasites clog the bile ducts, the child may develop jaundice. If you get into the appendix, the helminths can cause it to become inflamed.

The ascarids in pregnant women are very dangerous, since with the blood current the larvae can get into the fetus and finish development there. This creates the risk of abortion, premature birth, threatens to reduce the immunity of the unborn child.

That is why it is so important to comply with hygiene measures. Namely, always wash your hands before eating, carefully handle food, destroy insects in the house, especially flies and cockroaches.