Giardiasis is a parasitic infection caused by giardia, a unicellular protozoan parasite. Giardia in a child lives in the small intestine and liver, causing malfunctions in the normal functioning of these organs.
Types of Giardia
Parasites are divided into two types. Mobile lamblia in children (photo shows them) have the shape of a pear, their front end is rounded and the rear is pointed. The length is half a millimeter. The parasite has a disk with which it is attached to the intestinal mucosa, and 4 pairs of flagella. If from the small intestine the lamblia penetrate into the thick, they are modified as a result of adverse conditions. Mobile parasites are converted to cysts without mobility. The shape becomes oval, and the length increases to a millimeter. Together with feces, cysts are excreted from the body. However, in the external environment they do not die immediately, but for a long time they retain the ability to infect others. When they enter the human body, cysts again acquire mobility.
Giardia in a child: methods of infection
Parasites are most often deployed in wastewater, on the surface of unwashed vegetables and fruits, on the dirty hands of infected children, in children's sandboxes. Based on this, three main methods of infection can be distinguished:
- water, when giardia enters the body when a child uses infected tap water;
- contact-household, when the transfer of cysts occurs directly from one child to another, including through dishes and toys;
- food, when a child eats unwashed vegetables and fruits that are contaminated with cysts.
Giardia in a child: what is the danger?
Parasites, while in the body, take nutrients from the baby’s blood in order to be able to reproduce. A lack of minerals and vitamins can lead to vitamin deficiency. But lamblia not only take the necessary substances from the blood, but also release toxins into it, which suppress the immune system and provoke the development of allergic reactions. Children with giardiasis are more likely than others to suffer from colds, bronchitis and dermatitis.
Giardia in children: symptoms
The treatment of giardiasis will depend on the symptoms, which, in turn, depend on the form of the course of the disease. So, with the rapid development of pathology, due to the ingestion of a large number of cysts immediately, an acute form of giardiasis is diagnosed. It is characterized by symptoms such as loss of appetite, fever (up to 39 ° C), nausea and vomiting. In addition, the child may experience rashes (similar to those that appear with rubella) and bloating. In most cases, children under three years old are affected by the acute form of giardiasis, since their immune system is still not fully developed . But the correct diagnosis at this stage is made quite rarely. Most often, pathology is taken for acute intestinal infection. Without proper treatment, giardiasis becomes chronic. The child may periodically complain of abdominal pain, sometimes diarrhea occurs. Over time, weight loss occurs , the skin becomes pale, and a yellow coating forms on the tongue.
Giardia in a child: how to treat?
Curing giardiasis is not so easy. The child is prescribed antiparasitic drugs in a dosage selected individually depending on the weight, age and characteristics of the course of the disease. Somewhere on the fifth day of treatment, a worsening of the condition may be observed, but do not be scared. This is due to the fact that lamblia in a child in the body begin to die and decay en masse, while harmful decay products enter the bloodstream. To alleviate the condition, the doctor may prescribe laxatives and antihistamines. Approximately on the ninth day, the condition improves. But it should be remembered that giardiasis can always return, therefore treatment should be carried out comprehensively, and compliance with hygiene rules will prevent re-infection.