Helminths in children are one of the problems faced by parents around the world. Helminths consume nutrients inside the baby's body. This is a really serious issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
kroha.info collected for you information about which tablets for worms for children are the most effective.
What drugs can you give a child for worms?
Worms (sometimes called helminths) are parasites that enter the body and are able to live and feed on it.
There are several medicines that can be used for helminthiasis, they are called anthelmintics.
How do helminth medicines work?
- "Mebedazole", "Albendazole", "Thiabendazole" - do not allow the worms to absorb the sugars necessary for their life. They kill worms, not eggs.
- Praziquantel and Ivermectin paralyze worms in the intestines. This allows the body to easily remove them from the intestines with feces.
Rules for the use of drugs for worms
Each type of anthelmintic drug is effective against specific types of worms. For example, Niclosamide is effective against tapeworms, but will not work when infested with roundworms.
A medicine for worms for children should be chosen after the type of helminth is established, that is, after a laboratory examination of the child's feces or smears taken from the anus.
It is highly undesirable to independently choose tablets against worms for children from a year to 7 - 8 years old, since this is the age when worm infestations most often occur.
Even if the mother discovers small whitish worms in the baby's pot (which are probably pinworms), this does not mean that the baby has only enterobiasis. In more than half of cases of helminth infections, polyinvasion occurs - infections with two or more types of helminths.
In this case, the medicine for worms should act on all types of parasites, otherwise there will be no effect. Therefore, anthelmintic drugs of a wide spectrum of action are prescribed, which are effective in many helminthic invasions. But they have a higher toxicity than a drug that is active against a certain type of helminth. In the same situations, when only one type of parasite is found in laboratories, it is better to choose a drug for worms with a narrowly targeted effect.
The most widely used anthelmintics are Mebedazol, Niclosamide, Praziquantel, Pirantel, and Thiabendazole.
The correct dosage depends on the patient, the type of anthelmintic drug and the condition in which it is being taken. The number of doses per day, the frequency of administration and the duration of treatment may also depend on these factors. It may take a second course of treatment for several weeks to make sure the infection has completely cleared up.
Some worm medications for children work best with fatty foods such as milk or ice cream. Others need to be taken after a light meal. Be sure to follow the directions on when and how to take your medicine.
Because some types of helminths, such as pinworms, are passed from one person to another, everyone in the family may need to take worm pills if one of the household has a pinworm infection.
Therapy of helminthic invasions must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. The doctor will check if the infection goes away, make sure that there are no unwanted side effects. Your doctor may also suggest ways to prevent the infection from reinfection. Be sure to follow these guidelines. Consult a doctor if symptoms persist or worsen.
It is important to understand that patients receiving treatment for hookworm infection will need to take iron supplements. Children with certain conditions or other medicines may have problems with anthelmintic medicines. Before using these drugs, be sure to tell your doctor about any existing diseases. The doctor should also talk about any unusual reactions after using anthelmintic drugs in the past.
Using anthelmintic drugs with certain other medications can affect how the drugs work and increase the likelihood of adverse reactions. Common adverse reactions to anthelmintic drugs are:
- dizziness;
- drowsiness;
- headache;
- sweating;
- dry mouth;
- dry eyes;
- ringing or buzzing in the ears.
These problems usually disappear when the body adapts to the medication; they do not require treatment.
Less common side effects of anthelmintic drugs include loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, or cramps. If they leave or do not disrupt normal life, the child does not need medical assistance.
Call your doctor right away if you experience any unusual side effects.
Forms of medicines for helminths
Oral preparations for worms in children are produced in the form of tablets and in liquid dosage forms (suspensions, syrups). Each form of the drug has certain advantages in terms of its effectiveness, ease of use and safety.
Liquid forms are the type of medicine of choice for young children who have difficulty swallowing tablets and capsules.
For example, the Pirantel suspension for worms for children is a liquid dosage form consisting of crushed small particles of an undissolved drug suspended in a solution. When the suspension is shaken, the particles are evenly distributed throughout the volume to create a homogeneous, heterogeneous mixture.
The solid form of the release of drugs for helminths is also popular. In this form, the drug is mixed with various other ingredients, such as binders, diluents and lubricants, which allow the material to be shaped and compressed into the desired shape.
Preparations for worms are more stable in the form of tablets than in the form of a syrup or suspension.
The most popular worm pills for children
Treatment options for ascariasis of the gastrointestinal tract include Albendazole (400 mg once, for all ages), Mebendazole (100 mg for 3 days or 500 mg once for all ages) or Pirantel (11 mg / kg once, maximum 1 g).
Piperazine citrate (75 mg / kg / day in 2 days max.3.5 g / s), which causes neuromuscular paralysis of the parasite and rapid displacement of worms, is the drug of choice for intestinal obstruction or bile stasis, is administered as a syrup via a nasogastric tube.
"Nitazoxanide" (100 mg twice a day for 3 days for children 1 - 3 years old, 200 mg twice a day for 3 days for children 4 - 11 years old and 500 mg twice a day for 3 days for adolescents and adults) gives treatment indicators comparable to a single-dose intake " Albendazole ".
In the treatment of hookworm disease, the purpose of deworming is to remove adult hookworms with an anthelmintic drug. Drugs against worms in children belonging to the benzimidazole group: "Mebendazole" and "Albendazole" - are effective in removing nematodes from the intestines, although sometimes several doses are required. Albendazole (400 mg once, for all ages) usually achieves high cure rates, although adult nematodes (N. americanus) are sometimes more persistent and require additional doses. Mebendazole (100 mg twice a day - 3 days, for all ages) is also effective.
Children should be encouraged to chew Albendazole or Mebendazole tablets because forcing very young children to swallow large tablets can cause suffocation.
Experts currently support the use of benzimidazoles in infected children over one year old, but at a reduced dose (200 mg for Albendazole).
Pirantel (11 mg / kg, once / day - 3 days, maximum dose 1 g) is available in liquid form and is an effective alternative to benzimidazoles. Oral iron replacement therapy is usually not required to correct iron deficiency in children caused by worms.
Recent studies show that the recommended single dose oral forms of Mebendazole and Albendazole are ineffective in the treatment of trichocephalosis. "Nitazoxanide" (100 mg twice a day, 3 days for children 1 - 3 years old, 200 mg twice a day, 3 days for children 4 - 11 years old and 500 mg twice a day, 3 days for adolescents and adults) is used to combat this infection recommended to obtain a higher cure rate.
One oral dose of "Mebendazole" (100 mg for all ages), repeated after 2 weeks, leads to the percentage of enterobiasis cure reaching 90 - 100%.
Alternative regimens include one oral dose of Albendazole (400 mg for all ages) repeated after 2 weeks, or a single dose of Pirantel (11 mg / kg, max. 1 g).
Ivermectin (200 g / kg / day once a day, for 1 - 2 days) is the drug of choice for uncomplicated strongyloidosis. It is equally effective and is associated with fewer side effects than Thiabendazole (25 mg / kg / dose for 2 days, maximum 3 g / day), which is the traditional treatment. Patients with hyperinfection syndrome should be treated with Ivermectin for 7 to 10 days, and repeated courses may be required. Reducing the dose of immunosuppressants and treating concomitant bacterial infections are essential for the treatment of hyperinfection syndrome. To ensure the complete elimination of parasitic infestation, careful observation with a repeated examination of the stool is necessary. Strongyloidosis symptoms decrease within six months after successful treatment.
The use of antifilarial drugs in the treatment of acute lymphangitis and lymphadenitis is controversial. No controlled study shows that administration of drugs such as Diethylcarbamazine alters the course of acute lymphangitis. The doctor will prescribe "Diethylcarbamazine" to persons with microfilaramia (carriers) to reduce the intensity of parasitemia (circulation of the parasite in the blood).
The drug also kills a proportion of adult worms. Since treatment-related complications such as pruritus, fever, generalized body pain, hypotension and even death can occur, especially with high levels of microfilariae, the dose of Diethylcarbamazine should be gradually increased. Repeated doses may be required to further reduce microfilariae and kill adult parasites in the lymph nodes. W. bancrofti is more sensitive than B. malayi to Diethylcarbamazine.
Global programs to control and ultimately eradicate lymphatic filariasis recommend one annual dose of Diethylcarbamazine (6 mg / kg once) in combination with Albendazole (400 mg once) for 5 years.
Most cases of toxocariasis do not require treatment because the symptoms are mild and disappear within a few weeks or months. Some anthelmintic drugs can be used symptomatically, often with additional corticosteroids to limit inflammatory responses that are thought to result from the release of Toxocara antigens by dying parasites. Albendazole medications (400 mg twice daily, 5 days, for all ages) are most effective in children and adults. Mebendazole (100-200 mg twice a day, 5 days, for all ages) is also helpful. Anthelmintic treatment of CNS infections and eye diseases should be extended (3-4 weeks).
The recommended therapy for trichinelosis is Mebendazole (200 - 400 mg / day for 3 days, then 400 - 500 mg per day, 10 days, for all ages).
An alternative option for effective treatment is "Albendazole" (400 mg twice a day, 8 - 14 days, for all ages). Thiabendazole (25 mg / kg twice a day, 10 days) and Mebendazole (200 mg twice a day, 10 days) are effective against muscle larvae. Mebendazole may be less active, but Thiabendazole is less tolerated.
Praziquantel has been the anthelmintic drug of choice in the treatment of opistrochiasis for the past 10 years. A safe and effective dose was determined - 25 mg / kg, three times a day, 2 days. Although this treatment has been shown to be 100% effective in eliminating opistrochiasis, it is not associated with a decrease in the incidence of cholangiocarcinoma in infected but cured people compared to the infected and untreated population.
Treatment of children with schistosomiasis is based on assessing the intensity of the infection and the severity of the disease. The recommended treatment for schistosomiasis is Praziquantel. For some types of schistosomes, Oxamnikvin is effective in certain cases, if Praziquantel has shown less efficiency.
Preventive deworming is often carried out in schools and preschool institutions. Tablets for worms are prescribed for prophylaxis based on mebendazole and albendazole.
Homeopathy for worms in children
According to the supporters of this method of treatment, homeopathic medicines strengthen the body's mechanism of fighting infection and eradicate the disease. Homeopathic medicines for worms not only destroy them, but also improve health in general. Homeopathic medicines are natural and non-toxic remedies with zero side effects and are therefore most suitable for children.
Homeopathic medicines for worms
The top three recommended homeopathic medicines for helminthiasis include "Tsina", "Teukrium" and "Spigelia". Among them, "Qing" is the best medicine for worms for children if the condition is accompanied by excessive loss of appetite, irritability, tooth decay. Teukrium is a homeopathic medicine for treating itching in the anus, and Spigelia is one of the best homeopathic remedies for worms that cause pain around the navel.
Folk remedies
- Garlic is a well-known antiparasitic product that will help in the treatment of any type of intestinal helminthiasis. Raw garlic contains sulfur-containing amino acids that are anthelmintic in nature.
- Traditional medicine advocates recommend using pumpkin seeds to fight worms. Cucurbitacin, contained in pumpkin seeds, has anthelmintic properties that paralyze worms. This prevents them from holding on to the walls of the intestine, and they are quickly excreted from the body.
- The bark, root, stems and leaves of the pomegranate tree contain anthelmintic substances, which is why pomegranate is considered a good remedy for intestinal worms. A substance present in the bark of the pomegranate tree is very toxic to intestinal helminths, especially tapeworms.
Many moms and dads worry that a worm infestation means their kids are not being kept clean, but poor hygiene is not the reason. Children love to play in the mud, they love to interact closely with their friends, and they always share toys with each other. Their social development should not be impeded, the best option is to ensure that you have access to appropriate deworming techniques and are prepared for any accident.
