Pinworms are common parasitic worms that most often infect children and cause a disease called enterobiasis. According to various statistics, almost every child suffers this parasitic infection at least once in his life.
These parasites never manifest themselves in the initial stages. A person can be infected for a long time and not know it. Symptoms of enterobiasis often resemble other diseases - parasitic infection is thought about only when other methods of diagnosis and treatment do not help.
When the correct diagnosis is made, antiparasitic therapy should be started immediately. The main medicine is tablets that attack the parasites themselves, their eggs and embryos. This method of combating pinworms is the most effective. Sometimes a number of folk remedies are used, but their benefits are not precisely confirmed.
In any situation, treatment should begin with a trip to the doctor - usually a gastroenterologist deals with parasitic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. After the necessary tests, a suitable drug and treatment plan as a whole are prescribed.
Important! You should not prescribe medicine to your child yourself, because the final diagnosis – enterobiasis – cannot be made without laboratory testing.
How does infection occur?
The pinworm egg enters the body through the small intestine; this can be facilitated by the child’s unwashed hands or close communication in a group with other children.
After the egg matures, a larva emerges from it and attaches to the intestinal wall. It affects the mucous membrane, feeding on the contents in the small intestine. After two weeks, such a larva turns into an adult, which is completely ready for fertilization.
The adult lays its offspring in the folds of the anus, and when the larvae have already appeared, the first symptom appears in the form of itching in this area.
Tablets and suspension "Nemozol"
This medicine is prescribed to young patients who have been diagnosed with pinworms (photo). Experts prescribe it in tablet form or as a suspension to children starting from the age of two. During the treatment period, parents should give their children laxatives or switch them to diet food. If a child has liver problems, the medication is prescribed by a specialist with extreme caution.
Symptoms of pinworms
Enterobiasis is a medical term that defines the presence of pinworms in the human body.
The most pronounced and primary symptom is itching in the anus and discomfort. Intestinal colic, frequent loose stools, and an admixture of mucus may also occur.
The waste products of harmful microorganisms can cause a lot of trouble to their carriers, they can be expressed as frequent pain in the head, dizziness, nausea, allergic reactions, as well as general weakness. The child may also experience weight loss, loss of appetite, and anemia.
How to choose a drug for treatment
Traditional medicine provides many methods for treating pinworms, such as tansy, onions, wormwood, pumpkin seeds. However, such methods of destroying pinworms differ in their duration, and their effectiveness does not have precise evidence.
Medicines for pinworms in most cases help get rid of “unwanted guests” in a short time, painlessly and effectively.
To choose the most effective remedy, you must seek the advice of a qualified infectious disease doctor. Then you need to pass all the tests that the doctor prescribes.
A special category here are pregnant or lactating women, young children, and the elderly. In this case, the doctor prescribes the most suitable drug and also calculates its dosage with maximum accuracy.
Tablets "Vormil"
This medicine is quite actively used by specialists in the treatment of young patients from pinworms. Parents should adhere to the following recommendations:
- The baby should swallow the tablet and wash it down with water.
- Very young children should not be given more than 50 mg of the drug. For patients who are already 10 years old, doctors increase the single dose to 100 mg.
- At the same time, doctors recommend that all members of the sick child’s household take preventive measures by drinking the medicine once in the appropriate dosage for the age group.
- After taking the medication, you should not eat fatty foods for 24 hours. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the kidneys and liver.
- If, 7 days after taking the medication, helminths or their larvae are not detected in the child’s stool, then the therapy will be considered effective. But, in any case, parents must submit fragments of their children’s feces for analysis.
Basic drugs for the control of helminths
There are several drugs that have proven to be the safest. Let's take a closer look at these drugs.
Pirantel
This product can be purchased in the form of tablets, chewable tablets or suspension. The package contains only one tablet. The main purpose of this drug is to block the neuromuscular system of harmful microorganisms.
After taking the drug, after a certain period of time, helminths are freely eliminated from the human body. This remedy functions regardless of the stage of development of the parasites; in addition, it helps eliminate not only this type of worms such as pinworms, but also several other types.
It is a common phenomenon that if helminths are detected in one person, all other family members are most likely infected. That is why treatment must be prescribed to everyone. This product can be taken by pregnant women and children, but all precautions must be taken.
Taking this medicine may have side effects, for example: diarrhea, fever, allergic rash, vomiting, headache, sleep disturbances.
Nemozol
This drug can be prescribed to treat pinworms in children over two years of age; in earlier periods the drug is not prescribed. It is one of the most effective remedies against pinworms; it can be in the form of tablets or suspension.
The greatest caution should be exercised by those people who have impaired liver function. The main advantage of the drug is that there is no need to follow special diets or take additional medications.
Vermox
This product fights various types of harmful microorganisms with the same effect. The drug is prescribed mainly to adults, but there are no side effects for children either.
The only difference in using pinworm medication for young children is the correct dosage. The drug "Vermox" has no side effects if used correctly, no more than the recommended period (on average 3 days).
Dekaris
Decaris is a good assistant in the fight against harmful roundworms and other helminths that have settled in the body of both children and adults.
Recommended use for various age categories. Children need to take it only once, in the evening. If pinworms are found after re-testing, the drug can be used a second time.
Suppositories for enterobiasis
In cases where taking oral medications is not possible, suppositories may be an alternative solution. It is advisable to treat worms with anthelmintic suppositories during pregnancy and liver pathologies. A parasitologist or infectious disease specialist will tell you which of them are most effective.
The advantages of topical preparations are their effectiveness and ability to strengthen intestinal immunity, thanks to the vitamins they contain. The disadvantage of suppositories for the treatment of pinworms is the duration of therapy, which can be up to two weeks.
The most popular suppositories for helminths today are the following three drugs:
The first two drugs contain only plant components, which pinworms are afraid of. Among the medicinal substances in their composition are wormwood, tansy, garlic, etc. They are absolutely safe and can be used in the absence of an allergic reaction to them.
"Vormil" contains albendazole, which has a local effect when it is impossible to use the drug orally.
Treatment of pinworms in children under one year of age. What medications to take
If pinworms are detected in a one-year-old child, it is better to avoid panic.
For the treatment of small patients, it is possible to use such means as:
- pyrantel;
- piperazine;
- medamin.
Treatment of a child must be carried out under the strict supervision of medical workers and only with their permission.
Pinworm treatment must be carried out not only to improve the child’s condition and protect him from very unpleasant sensations, but also to prevent very serious consequences. Treatment of all family members is the most rational solution to this situation.
Doctors' recommendations
When treating children for pinworms, parents must strictly follow the recommendations given by experts:
- If a child in the family has been diagnosed with a helminthic infestation, then not only him, but all household members need to more carefully observe personal hygiene.
- After washing, the laundry should be ironed.
- Nail plates should be cut as short as possible.
- The patient should change underwear daily.
- During therapy, children should avoid contact not only with stray animals, but also with domestic animals. Pets must also be dewormed as prescribed by veterinarians.
- Before eating and after using the toilet, a sick child should wash his hands thoroughly with soap.
- All food must be heat treated.
- Parents should periodically wash and treat children's toys with special solutions.
- All family members are recommended to get tested and undergo preventive measures.
- Before giving medication to their children, mothers should carefully read the instructions included with it. Particular attention should be paid to the sections: side effects and contraindications.
- If after taking the medicine the baby has an adverse reaction, then further therapy should be stopped and contact your doctor for advice.
- In case of an overdose of medication, the child needs to rinse the stomach and give an adsorbent, then seek qualified medical help.
Precautionary measures
Almost every medicine has a number of side effects. Drugs whose action is aimed at combating pinworms are no exception.
The precautions in this case are similar for almost all products:
- You should not take medications of this type if disorders of the nervous system are detected;
- people diagnosed with chronic renal failure are also prohibited from using the drugs;
- It is necessary to carefully consider the use of drugs for pregnant women or breastfeeding women. In this case, you cannot do without consulting a qualified specialist;
- You should carefully study the instructions before using the product, because it is possible that individual intolerance to any element of the drug may occur;
- additional funds.
Any therapy aimed at destroying harmful microorganisms determines the use of not only direct anthelmintic drugs, but also some auxiliary components. These can be sorbents, as well as anti-inflammatory drugs.
There is no need to take a laxative after taking medications to combat pinworms.
The most pronounced symptom of pinworms is itching in the anal area, which intensifies in the evening.
This is due to the fact that during this period helminths actively lay eggs. To minimize such sensations, it is possible to use antiallergic drugs such as Loratadine or Cetrin. An alternative can also be a soda-based enema.
What you need to know about drug therapy for enterobiasis
First of all, we note that taking any medications is advisable only after a complete diagnosis of the child, in which the degree of damage to the body by pinworms will be established.
Since all antiparasitic drugs without exception have contraindications, it is important to exclude the presence of any characteristics of the child’s body that would make it impossible to take the medications
You should also keep in mind a certain degree of toxic effect of antiparasitic drugs on the baby’s body. Depending on the chosen medication, the toxic effect has varying degrees; therefore, when choosing drugs, you should definitely take this factor into account and lean in favor of the least toxicity.
The use of any medicinal product must be agreed with a qualified specialist, in compliance with the prescribed instructions or therapeutic dosage by a doctor. Otherwise, there is a possibility of causing additional harm to the child’s body during treatment with antiparasitic drugs or incomplete cure and subsequent relapses of the disease.
Note. If the therapeutic dose of the drug prescribed by the specialist is observed, the occurrence of adverse events is extremely rare.
The therapeutic course for enterobiasis using antiparasitic drugs does not involve cleansing procedures or a specific diet, which is undoubtedly a plus. However, when treating this helminthic infestation, a set of hygiene procedures must be carried out, namely:
- Thorough hand washing before eating and after defecation;
- Carrying out full wet cleaning using disinfectants and strong detergents;
- Wet cleaning using the above-mentioned products for upholstered furniture and household appliances. Children's soft toys must be washed;
- Boiling and subsequent ironing of underwear and bed linen;
Carrying out the procedures and the above list allows you to reduce the likelihood of reinvasion.
What medications for pinworms for children exist today and can be used? Next we will touch on this issue in more detail.
How dangerous are parasites for children?
In most cases, the symptoms of the development of harmful microorganisms in a child are so small that parents simply do not pay attention to them.
It is worth taking a closer look and perhaps independently determining whether you need to contact a specialist on the issue of helminths.
There are a number of reasons why this disease can be dangerous and harm the child’s health.
A common problem in children is dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, they are of a different nature: it can be constipation, diarrhea, or bloating. The child complains of pain in the abdomen, and activity in general decreases.
The elements of pinworm activity are themselves defined as very strong allergens, therefore, when infected with harmful microorganisms, allergic reactions can occur, sometimes their symptoms are very severe.
Fatigue syndrome is also a signal that pinworms are developing in the body. Efficiency decreases, excessive fatigue appears for no reason, appetite decreases significantly, and as a result, body weight decreases. Girls may experience inflammation of the bladder, diseases of the genital organs, and even urinary incontinence at night.
Pinworm infection is characterized by another unpleasant symptom: teeth grinding during sleep. This factor leads to the depletion of tooth enamel, which is very difficult to treat.
Pirantel
The medicine can be taken by a child from 6 months of age. Release form: tablets. The main active ingredient is pyrantel pamoate. Principle of action: damage to muscle tissue, paralysis of nematodes of any form of maturity. After taking Pirantel, there is no need to drink a laxative; the worms are passed out in the feces. Single dose, immediately after breakfast, dosage:
- 6-24 months – 125 mg;
- 2-6 years – 250 mg;
- 6-12 years – 500 mg.
To eliminate the risk of re-infestation, treatment should be repeated after 21 days. Being one of the best anthelmintic drugs for children, Pirantel has no contraindications. Restrictions relate to age: if the baby is less than 6 months old, the medicine cannot be taken.
Possible side effects:
- decreased appetite;
- sleep disorders;
- allergic skin rashes;
- weakness;
- nausea.
Important! If the baby has problems with bowel movements, after taking the drug (after 1-2 hours), you should drink a laxative.
Enterobiasis is a serious disease that has negative consequences for a growing organism. Multiple ways of infecting a child and the lack of obvious symptoms of infection at the first stage complicate the treatment process. If necessary, medications Pirantel, Piperazine, Mebendazole can be used for prophylactic purposes. But only after the pediatrician's approval. Self-medication for helminthic infestation without establishing an accurate diagnosis is strictly prohibited.
Measures to prevent helminths
The initial preventive action against the appearance of pinworms is simple hand washing, and this should be done as often as possible. Especially for children, because... They are distinguished from adults by an irresistible desire to try everything by touch.
It is also necessary to wash all fruits, vegetables and berries before eating. The best solution would be to pour boiling water over them.
Tap water must be treated and purified, because... insufficient cleaning can lead to the appearance of helminths. It is also highly undesirable to swim in unfamiliar bodies of water. Infection can even occur through the skin on your feet if you walk barefoot on the ground! Soil is a favorable environment for the development of helminths.
All products must undergo intensive heat treatment before consumption; for example, insufficiently fried meat can cause the appearance of worms.
It is better to entrust the salting of lard, fish or caviar to professionals, because... incorrect technology can lead to the colonization of harmful microorganisms.
Best before date
Shelf life is influenced by many factors, including storage conditions. Therefore, first of all, it is still worth observing them. So, there is no need to expose it to direct sunlight. This may cause the active components of the substance to evaporate.
Negatively affects shelf life and damages packaging. If the blister is torn or has obvious defects, then taking such tablets is clearly prohibited. Moisture should be avoided in every possible way, as it can spoil the medicine. Excessive temperature also negatively affects the medication. It is desirable that its indicator is within 25 degrees Celsius.
