Giardiasis is a word familiar to almost everyone. But most parents consider the infection of lamblias as something remote and unreal, completely not thinking about the possibility of developing this disease in their own children. Meanwhile, according to medical statistics, every third child in the world at least once had a lambliasis. Not so little, right?
In this article we will talk about the signs of giardiasis in a child, the stages of treatment and the prevention of giardiasis in children.
Causes of Giardiasis
Giardiasis is the infection of lamblia (a single-celled parasite) that live in the small intestine and liver. As a result of their vital activity, the work of these organs and the digestive tract as a whole is disturbed, there are pains in the abdomen, stools, nausea, vomiting. There are two kinds of lamblia: vegetative and cystar. The first form is mobile pear-shaped parasites (pointed at the rear), the second form (cysts) is required for parasites to maintain viability under adverse conditions. Cysts are tiny (about a millimeter) oval "cocoons", devoid of mobility and signs of life. Due to the presence of cystaric form, lamblia can "wait" for unfavorable conditions and spread in space far beyond the host organism. Thus, at an ambient temperature of 18 ° C, cysts can remain viable for more than 40 days. Once in a suitable condition, lamblia cysts are released from the "cocoon", again returning to the vegetative form.
The main ways of infection with Giardia:
- Water . When you use an infected liquid. It is important to remember that lamblias do not live in saline sea water, so you can get infected by swallowing water while swimming in fresh water, but in salty sea or oceanic water it is impossible.
- Household . Through the use of contaminated towels, cutlery or dishes, toys, etc.
- Nutritional . When you use contaminated products - unwashed fruits, berries or vegetables, thermally unprocessed meat.
Giardiasis: Symptoms
When mass infection of the body with lamblia (with acute lambliasis), the following symptoms can be observed in children:
- decreased appetite;
- pain in the abdomen;
- increased body temperature;
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- bloating;
- a rash all over the body that resembles rubella.
In the case when the disease has passed into a chronic form, there are observed:
- indigestion (regular constipation or diarrhea);
- regular slight (up to 37.5 ° C) temperature rise (often in the evenings);
- dull pain in the abdomen, especially in the navel and right side;
- decreased activity of the baby;
- nighttime bruxism;
- enlargement of lymph nodes, liver, spleen or other internal organs;
- coughing attacks;
- increase in the level of eosinophils in the blood.
How to cure a lambliasis in a child?
The treatment regimen for giardiasis in children includes:
- diet;
- cholagogue preparations;
- enterosorbents;
- enzymes;
- antiparasitic drugs (metronidazole, nemozol , makmiror, tiberal, chloroquine, tinidazole, furazolidone , paromomycin).
For the treatment of giardiasis, children have different drugs, but the choice of medication, duration of treatment and dosage is determined individually, taking into account the age, weight and general condition of the child. Self-medication is strictly prohibited. Giardiasis is a serious disease and its treatment should be carried out under medical supervision.
The diet for giardiasis in children should not only improve intestinal motility, but also create unfavorable conditions for the multiplication of parasites. The use of simple carbohydrates is strictly
Prevention of Giardiasis
For the prevention of giardiasis, it is recommended to maintain a healthy lifestyle, strengthen immunity, and strictly comply with the norms and rules of personal hygiene, eliminate sources of infection with lamblia (isolation of cyst carriers and giardiasis patients).