Giardia in children — Symptoms and treatment of childhood giardiasis

Infection with worms of any type affects children of all ages, even babies. Parents often do not suspect what dangers the parasite.

Consider what is giardiasis and what its symptoms and how to treat Giardia in children.

Brief description of the parasite

Giardia is a harmful microorganism that lives within the small intestine or in the liver. Flagellate parasite can cause irritation or inflammation in the intestine, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Parasites beneficial trace elements in the human body, and their metabolic products can cause severe intoxication, therefore, to treat Giardia in a child is essential.

When a helminth enters the body of the child, he throws a shell and becomes lamblia. The parasites are equipped with flagella, and disc for clinging to the walls of the intestine. For reproduction, the parasite requires nutrients and minerals that they get directly from the blood of the child. As a result, the child has reduced immunity, may be affected by the deficiency.

Harmful microorganisms are divided into two types: movable and stationary.

Parasites reproduce by dividing. Stool often does not help to identify the disease, because Giardia come from the feces of a child and there are up to half an hour, and then die.

How the infection occurs

There are several ways of Contracting giardiasis, parasites manifest themselves in the sand or earth, may exist on the dishes, children's toys.

Sources of contamination also may not be sufficiently processed fruits and vegetables, kitchen equipment. Raw water can contain Giardia, parasites can be transmitted through breast milk.

At risk are the kids who attend preschool institutions, because of close contact with other children. Enough filtered water from the tap can be not only Giardia but also other microorganisms.

Clinical symptoms of the disease

Manifested giardiasis in children involves a very heavy flow.

The main symptoms are:

• a sharp increase in body temperature, chills,
• prolonged diarrhea,
• pain in the abdomen,
• nausea and vomiting, in the long term,
• the weight loss,
• dry cough,
• grinding the teeth, mainly at night,
• eruptions of the skin similar to allergic reactions,
• quick causeless fatigue,
• swollen lymph nodes without redness of the throat.

In infants may develop a goiter, moodiness, characterized by abdominal pain, tucking legs under him, loss of appetite.

Treatment of giardiasis

During the rendering of a diagnosis of giardiasis, the question arises: what to treat?

Unlike the removal of other parasites, Giardia are treated somewhat more complicated.

Diagnosis of the disease is based on the analysis of urine, blood and feces, history about the changes in the child's condition, as well as palpation of the abdomen. Then conducted a series of tests that will help to draw a comprehensive picture of infection.

Passing the feces is semi-effective analysis for the identification of helminths, but some doctors prescribe this analysis. Here you need to follow some rules: the material must be surrendered immediately upon exit from the body, and on capacity it is necessary to specify the time of collection of biological material.

Treatment consists of several stages:

Diet. From the child's diet need to exclude spicy and fatty foods, reduce the amount of consumed sweets to a minimum. Vegetables and fruits to use such that do not cause bloating. Child during the period of treatment should be given more kas on the water. Food must happen in small portions several times a day, extract in between meals should be at least 4 hours.

Treatment of drugs. All medications should appoint only a doctor, highlight the main ones: flamin, furazolidone, metronidazole, albendazole, and so the Average rate is 5 — 10 days. It should be remembered that drugs can cause many side effects, so the medication should carefully monitor the child's condition.

The recovery phase is approximately twoweeks'. Means the reception of sorbents to remove toxins from the body, as well as receiving funds, boosting the immune system.

After a few days after the start of anthelmintic drugs, the child's condition may significantly worsen. This phenomenon is natural, because effect of drugs leads to the death and decay of the parasites in the body.

The dosage of any drug must appoint a physician, given the characteristics of the organism, extent of infection, age, weight and height.

Treatment of folk remedies. This may be a special cucumber infusions, aspen decoction, extracts from plants celandine, the use of bergamot oil, a decoction of dandelion root and St. However, the greatest benefit of traditional medicine will bring in Alliance with medical treatment.

The care of the baby during illness

In order to avoid the return of helminths, it is necessary to strictly observe all rules of personal hygiene of the child. Nails should be cut, the feeding is made from individual dishes (it needs to be disinfected), after contact with the child should wash hands thoroughly (especially after a change in underwear or diapers).

After conducting the treatment, some symptoms can still occur, because the recovery of intestinal function takes time.

However, sometimes the re-emergence of symptoms indicates undertreated disease. In this case, it is necessary to repeat the test after 7 to 14 days.

Prophylaxis of giardiasis

Upon detection of the worms in a child or group of children, you should isolate a sick baby, to undergo a medical examination to him and to all members of the family.

Measures the initial prevention of the following:

• intensive wash vegetables and fruits, it is better to parboil,
• use only treated water (boiling, filtering),
• to teach your baby to personal hygiene is so informed as possible,
• eliminate harmful habits (thumb sucking, nibble nails, etc.),
• should refrain from swimming in the unknown waters,
• allow play only in the sandbox of this type, which regularly change the sand,
• to minimize exposure to animals as possible and not to exclude.

The following simple measures reduce your risk of Giardia in an average of 60%.

If the body of the child notice the changes that you need to visit the doctor in order to avoid consequences in the future. The sooner the diagnosis, the less worms in the body will have time to multiply.

Remember that the parasites can skillfully masquerade as other diseases.