Toxocars in children: symptoms and treatment

Toxocars in children are detected most often in 3-5 years. At this time, the kids are very inquisitive and often tend to interact with animals, which reward them with worms. With unwashed hands, as well as household items, toxocary larvae fall to the children in the mouth.Therefore, parents need to know and understand what are the signs of development of toxocariasis in babies and how to deal with it.

The concept of toxocariasis

The presence of toxocar in a child leads to the development of a disease called toxocarosis. The larval form can be in the ground, getting there with feces of cats or dogs, on the wool of stray animals, in stagnant water. The usual distributors of the disease are animals that do not undergo de-worming.

Important!

The parasites are brought inside the child after contact with the distributor, eating unwashed plant products, as well as insufficiently cooked meat. High risk of acquisition and progression of toxocariasis in unsanitary conditions.

In the photo toksokar in children, they look like ascaris and have a white color. From representatives of the ascaris species, they are distinguished by the presence of wings in the head area. A female helminth lays more than 200 thousand eggs per day. The egg of toxocara acquires invasiveness with respect to the animal or man after the period of maturation of the larva in it, which can be from 6 to 36 days.

Ways of infection

Toxocaras enter the environment in the feces of infected animals. Favorable for infection period is summer. At this time, children spend a lot of time on the street, in the sand, near water bodies and interact more with dogs and cats, after which unwashed hands are more likely to end up in the mouth. The eggs that have fallen are attached to the shells of the child and the toxocars begin to actively proliferate.

Important!

Transmission of toxocariasis can occur from mother to child during gestation or while feeding a baby with breast milk.

There are several ways of infection:

1. Eating unwashed flora.
2. Consumption of contaminated water.
3. Contact with animals whose owners are absent or neglect the prevention of helminthic invasion.
4. Eating undercooked meat (pork or lamb).

Toksokara

The risk of infection is high in children aged 3 to 5 years, mentally disabled people, doctors of veterinary clinics and people who have animals in their homes.

Symptoms and treatment in children

Symptoms of toxocariasis in children can be divided into inherent in any variant of the disease, and by types of toxocariasis.The disease progresses intensively when the child has deficiencies in the immune system. The larvae are rapidly distributed throughout the body. As a result of this movement, fever appears, swollen lymph nodes, cough, shortness of breath and tenderness in the abdomen, accompanied by nausea and loose stools.

Development options

There are several types of illness that every parent should know. For each of them, manifestations are specific.

1. Visceral form of toxocariasis. The symptoms of toxocar in this form are due to the fact that the larvae settle in the organs of the respiratory system. The child develops pneumonia, which is difficult and can even lead to death if nothing is done. In the study of the blood of the child revealed an increase in the number of eosinophils. In addition to the above symptoms, an enlargement of the liver and spleen occurs.
2. Skin form of toxocariasis. This variant of the disease manifests itself in a child in the form of rash on the skin of the type of urticaria, the appearance of blisters, hyperemia. The skin is itchy and flaky, which is explained by the penetration of the larvae under the skin or into the vascular network. In certain places, parasites accumulate and cause swelling and pain.
3. Neurological form of the disease. This is the most dangerous form for children. Toxocars can penetrate the nervous system, causing impaired memory, poor sleep, neurological problems, hyperactivity in young children, and even short-term memory loss. This form is dangerous for its complications, including paralysis, convulsions and retinal detachment of the eyeballs.

Diagnostic questions

You can find out how the parasites in animals look in the feces. In humans, they do not enter the fecal mass. Many are interested in the question of how toxocars come out after treatment. They do not go out, but are destroyed by special cells of the body.

Diagnosis of toxocariasis

Diagnosis of toxocariasis is not easy, because its symptoms can be characteristic of many other diseases. Therefore, a serological analysis of blood, ELISA and biopsy of the liver or lung tissue is performed.

Medical events

Treatment toksokar long. It depends on exactly which organs and systems are affected by worms. Often, consultation of several different specialists is required. According to the results of the examination of the child, different doctors create an individual scheme of treatment of the disease.

Important!

Self-medication is prohibited.Toxocars can only be treated under the supervision of a specialist.

Medicines

Toxocar medications are used in combination.

1. Antiparasitic drugs. This may be Vermox, Ditrazin and others. Drugs affect localized larvae.
2. Anthelmintic tablets from toxocar. Tiabendazole or mebendazole is prescribed to normalize the intestinal microflora.
3. Sensitizing drugs - drugs help to cope with the cutaneous variant of toxocariasis. These are Clemastine, Tavegil, Cetirizine and others.
4. Glucocorticoids. Used to eliminate inflammation in the body. This may be Prednisolone or Dexamethasone.

Folk recipes

Treatment of toxocariasis in children can be supplemented with traditional medicine methods. The most popular healers to restore the normal state of the body with toxocariasis are listed below.

1. Seeds of wormwood. The tool is pounded to a powdery state, mixed with honey and taken daily during breakfast in a teaspoon for a week.
2. Garlic milk. Used in the form of enemas, for which the head of garlic is boiled in a glass of milk, after clearing it from the peel.The course of treatment is a week.
3. The grass is elecampane. Brewed a glass of boiling water in the amount of 2 tablespoons. Is taken orally in 50 ml every 4 hours after a nine-hour infusion.

Folk recipes for toxocarosis

On a note!

It is important to drink enough fluids and saturate the body with vitamins, since the parasites deprive the child of both.

Having decided to take folk remedies, it is necessary to consult on this account with the doctor. Many plants can cause allergic reactions and even be poisonous. Especially for children.

Prediction of the course of the disease

If toxocariasis is timely determined and correctly treated, then the prognosis for the life and health of the child is favorable. Full cure occurs in 2-3 months, but the child, due to possible recurrences of the disease and complications, remains under the supervision of a doctor until a three-year term. Among the dangerous complications of isolated retinal detachment and damage to the nervous system.

Infection prevention

To minimize the risks of infection with toxocars, it is necessary to follow the rules of personal hygiene, in time to de-worming pets,heat treat meat and fish dishes thoroughly and do not eat unwashed fruits and vegetables. It is very important from the very young age to teach children to wash their hands.