Is Deworming a Solution For Children with Frequent Worm Infections?
Parents have to be aware of their child’s health, particularly in their growing years. The most common health issue in a child is the presence of worms in the stomach/intestine; the possible causes being food that isn’t cooked properly or unfiltered water. This affects the bowel health of a child. Deworming is when medication is consumed to kill the worms in the intestine. These are usually referred to as roundworms, hookworms or whipworms. These worms can affect the child’s growth and nutrition. Deworming can be done on a regular basis in order to have the worms removed. If the worms aren’t removed, it could lead to the eggs multiplying in the gut, further causing health issues.
How Does it Affect Children?
Intestinal worms are found in kids who are also exposed to soil by coming in contact with it. Hands that are not washed before eating or toys that aren’t cleaned on a regular basis are also ways these worms can transmit themselves into the body. This is why it’s important to see that your children are left in a clean and healthy environment.
Symptoms can Include
- Tummy ache
- Loss of appetite/excess hunger
- Itching in the anal region
- Loss of weight
The treatment for worm infection depends on the type of worm causing infection and the age of the child. We’ve listed out some effective medications to treat the problem, below:
- Mebendazole
- Pyrantel
- Zenteel (400mg)
- Zenteel suspension
These deworming medicines do not cause any harm in a child’s body; all they do is kill the parasites. But we’d definitely recommend consulting a child specialist, just in case.
Ways to Keep Worms Away in Children
- Keep your kid in a clean surrounding
- Ensure they wash their hands after playing
- Ensure fruits and vegetables are washed
- Give them only filtered water to drink
A tablet called Albendazole is commonly given twice a year to a child, just to ensure the parasitic worms are out of the system. The worms find their way out of the body in the stool. After the parasite is non-existent in the gut, the child starts to improve in health and will be able to absorb all the vital nutrients.
