What to Do if Your Children Have Intestinal Parasites

You’re here today to find out what to do if your children have parasites. Intestinal parasites affect a huge number of children anywhere in the world. The most common intestinal parasites come from earthworms and pinworms.

Children can develop these parasites at any stage. The majority of cases are found in children under the age of 14, however. If you notice that your child is restless at night and uncomfortable, pay attention, because these are common symptoms in these cases.

Find out what to do if your child has parasites

1-Take them to the doctor

To find out what to do if your child has parasites, you must first go to the doctor.

It’s not true that parasites hard to eliminate – in fact, this problem is much more common than it might seem. You must take the necessary steps and follow the treatment to the letter, however, to prevent it from reappearing.

Your pediatrician may prescribe an oral medication. No medication will eliminate the eggs that can re-infect your child, however. For that, you’ll need to repeat the dosage two weeks later.

When a child has worms, odds are the whole family does, too. In this case, everyone should be treated. Try some of these simple and useful tips:

• All family members should bathe in the morning. This will help eliminate a large number of eggs.
• Irritation and itching can be relieved by taking lukewarm baths and using a mild ointment.
• Change their underwear and bed sheets often. This will reduce contamination and the risk of re-infection.
• Keep their nails short and wash them with a brush.
• Everyone in the family should wash their hands often, especially after visits to the bathroom and before handling any food.

You should read: 6 symptoms of intestinal worms

2-Pay attention to their diet

One myth about parasites has to do with the consumption of sweets. You’ve probably heard that you can tell a child has parasites because they crave sweet foods suddenly. This is totally false.

It’s a good idea to keep an eye on what they eat, however. Eating sweets might not indicate the presence of parasites but it’s also not great for their health.

When you wash food for your child to eat, be sure you use germ-free and bacteria-free water sources, as using water contaminated by fecal matter is one of the main reasons children get parasites.

Although it’s true that you should be careful with what your child eats, food isn’t the first culprit when it comes to getting parasites.

Sand in parks, play areas, swimming pools, toilet seats, toys, and hands and fingernails are the main places that parasites are found. That’s why it’s crucial to teach your child good hygiene habits.

3-Pay attention to the quality of their sleep

Parasite eggs enter through the mouth and reach the digestive system, hatching in the small intestine. The larvae of parasites advance until they are deposited in the large intestine.

A few weeks later, female worms reach the end of the digestive system and leave the body to lay more eggs. This process typically occurs at night.

This causes restless dreams, irritability, nightmares, tooth grinding, and even sleepwalking. That’s why you should pay attention to how well your child is sleeping.

If you notice any of these symptoms, check your child’s genitals and especially the rectum. You can also check their stool where you may observe the parasites in the form of small, white threads.

Conclusion

Do you know what to do if your child has parasites?

This is a very common infection that affects the health and peace of your child. If it’s not correctly treated or you don’t go to the doctor, the infection can also recur at any time.

Not only children get parasites, too. Once they’re infected, it’s likely that the whole household will get parasites. This is fortunately a quick and simple matter to deal with. Once the infection is gone, always practice good home hygiene. This will help you not only avoid getting parasites, but also other diseases that can affect the whole family.