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According to 2015 data from the Indonesian Ministry of Health, worms are still a major health problem with the incidence reaching 28.12 percent. Sadly, this number still does not represent many regions in Indonesia that have the potential to reach more than 50 percent. If left untreated, repeated worm infections in children can lead to growth failure or stunting . How worm infection is one of the causes stunting in children? Check out the following reviews.
What is a worm infection?
Worm infection is a disease that occurs because of the worms lodged in the human intestine.
There are different types of worms that attack the human body. For example, tapeworms, hookworms, pinworms, or roundworms. Each of these worms can have various effects when infecting the human body, including being the cause stunting in children.
Anyone can get worm infections if there is direct contact between the skin and soil or dirty water that contains worm eggs.
After the worm eggs penetrate the skin or are eaten and enter the body, the eggs will move into the blood vessels and into organs in the body, such as the intestines. In the intestine, worm eggs will reproduce to produce very large numbers.
Not only that, worms will also absorb various nutrients that enter the body. This condition will certainly be very dangerous, especially for children under four years of age in their infancy, because it can cause stunting .
Quoted from the Mayo Clinic page, there are several symptoms that may be caused when a person is infected with worms, namely:
- Nausea
- Feeling weak
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Dizzy
- Weight loss and absorption of nutrients from food is problematic
Be alert when signs of worms appear in you, family members, and especially in children. If not treated promptly, worm infections can cause even worse health problems.
How can worms cause stunting?
Although worm infections can strike at any age, children still have the highest risk of developing the disease. This is because children still like to play in all places, including those that could be contaminated with various germs. In addition, because the child's immune system is not yet perfect, children are susceptible to disease.
There are various health risks that can haunt a child with worms. One of them is a growth disorder that causes the child's body to be shorter than peers his age, this is called stunting .
According to the Public Library of Science, there are two kinds of effects caused by worms that attack children, namely anemia and stunting. Causes of anemia include deficiencies in micronutrients such as iron, folate and vitamin B12.
While on stunting, problems start when the worms absorb the nutrients in the child's body. This will cause the child's appetite to decrease, so that over time the child may experience malnutrition problems.
If this nutritional problem is not treated immediately, the physical growth of the child can be affected. This is what ultimately became the cause stunting .
Furthermore, this condition will certainly weaken the child's brain function, increase the risk of developing infectious diseases, making it less agile for other children of his age.
How to prevent intestinal worms?
Even though this worm infection looks scary, you can still reduce the risk before the disease attacks the child until it becomes a cause stunting . Check out the following ways.
- Keep the living environment clean by disposing of rubbish in its place and ensuring the drainage of wastewater flows smoothly
- Always defecate in the toilet
- Always cook fish, beef and seafood until done. Avoid consuming it raw
- Boil water until cooked before drinking
- Always wash your hands and feet with soap and clean water, before and after handling things, while eating, and from the toilet
- Routinely clean and cut the nails of your little one's hands and feet
- Get used to the child to always use footwear every time they leave the house
- Always cover food so that animals do not touch it, which can spread germs
- Take deworming according to the dosage used
For children who find it difficult to take medication, currently there is a type of worm medicine in the form of a liquid with a variety of flavors, such as orange flavor. Thus, your child may not even notice that they are taking medication because it tastes good.
If you feel worried when your child has health problems, whether minor or severe, you can always check with your doctor or related health service.
All the precautions that have been mentioned are part of a healthy lifestyle. Please note, everyone can have the potential to become " carrier "Worm disease.
Therefore, try to get your little one to take deworming medicine at least every 6 months as a preventive measure. A healthy lifestyle needs to be applied by all family members and the closest people so that worm infections are not easy to attack. Come on, take care of each other!
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