Preventing children with intestinal worms with 3 important steps

In Indonesia, many people still consider worms as a trivial thing. In fact, the prevalence of worms in Indonesia is high. Worms can happen to anyone. However, in general, children are more prone to worms. If the child has worms, it will hinder their growth and intelligence. So, how do you prevent it? The answer is in this article.

Causes of intestinal worms in children

Children are said to have worms when they find worms or eggs in their feces that have multiplied and taken nutritional food in the intestines. There are various types of worms that can live in the human intestine, including roundworms, whipworms, hookworms, and pinworms.

Generally, worms are easily transmitted to children through unhygienic food, open defecation, and as a result of direct contact with dirty objects or soil that have been infected with worm eggs. Children who look healthy can get worms. Hence, it is important to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

After successfully penetrating the skin, the worms then enter the veins (veins) to the internal organs of the human body. Worms also often reproduce and colonize in the intestines. There, the worms will take nutrients and bite the intestinal wall of humans. This will make a person who has a worm infection result in malnutrition.

Symptoms of children with intestinal worms

The most common symptoms of intestinal worms are malnutrition, fatigue, anemia, frequent abdominal pain, difficulty concentrating, and frequent itching around the anus at night. This happens because the worms are laying eggs and producing larvae that are released through the anus, so that the part often feels itchy.

Initially the symptoms of intestinal worms were indeed common, so they were often underestimated. In fact, if it is not handled immediately it will interfere with children's development. In fact, there are children whose intestines need to be operated on because the worms in their stomach have blocked their digestive tract.

Now, if the worms have clogged the intestine, the patient's stomach will become distended. If you continue to ignore it, there will be inflammation of the intestine which causes the intestines to burst and even causes death.

How to prevent children with intestinal worms

To prevent unwanted things as described above, it's a good idea for you as a parent to always keep the environment clean and monitor every child's activity. Here are some ways you can prevent children with worms:

1. Maintain personal and environmental hygiene

Hygiene is the most important thing to prevent the spread of worm eggs which can cause worms in children. Steps to maintain cleanliness can be done by:

Start to keep your little one's feet and hands clean. To do this, teach them to wash their hands and feet regularly before and after activities using soap.
Cut nails regularly because worm eggs like to be in this section.
Make it a habit to maintain cleanliness after urinating by thoroughly cleaning the genitals and / or rectum and washing your hands with soap
Avoid your little one from doing the habit of biting their nails which can allow some germs, bacteria or worm eggs to enter the mouth.

2. Cook properly

Make sure you cook the ingredients until cooked. If your child is going to eat raw vegetables and fruits, make sure you wash them clean. Worm eggs can be in contaminated soil. If your child is going to eat raw meat, make sure that the meat is guaranteed worm-free.

3. Take worm medicine

If necessary, consult a doctor and try to consume deworming drugs that can be given to children from the age of two years and over. The reason is, at the age of two years the child can take deworming medicine because at that age the child is actively moving and starting to play dirty-dirt. Later, your little one may react uncomfortably after consuming the deworming medicine. However, deworming needs to be given to prevent the infection from recurring. Talk to your doctor about the recommended deworming medication.