In nature, there are a large number of parasitic organisms that are not averse to settle in the human body. One of the most enduring intestinal inhabitants is Giardia. There are a lot of infected people, and the majority are children. With age, the percentage of cases drops significantly. Often the carrier may not have any signs of infection and not even suspect that uninvited guests have settled in its intestines. And you can find out about this only after passing the diagnosis. Everyone can become infected, but those who have children pay special attention to this problem. Doctors blame Giardia for the development of many childhood diseases. Immunocompromised babies can easily become infected. What are the symptoms and treatment of giardiasis in children, will be further discussed.
What kind of disease is giardiasis
Giardia enters the body in various ways, their location is in the large and small intestines. Next, the parasites begin their reproduction. Several pathways of infection can be distinguished:
- Contact household. Giardia enters the body through household items, clothes, toys and so on.
- Food. Infection occurs through products that have not undergone the necessary heat treatment.
- Water. Infection comes from untreated water. It is possible water from a tap or when swimming in a pond.
It is worth noting that you can get infected not only from a person carrying the Labia, but also from dogs, cats, guinea pigs.
Playing in the sandbox and in contact with animals, children can take their hands in their mouths and also touch toys after this. This route of infection in children is the most common.
How giardiasis is classified
The course of giardiasis in children can be divided into:
- Asymptomatic.
- Clinically expressed.
With a pronounced clinical course of the disease, depending on the features of its course, giardiasis is divided into:
- Primary when infection occurs for the first time.
- Lingering, periodically recurring.
In the clinical course, giardiasis occurs in:
- Intestinal form.
- Hepatobiliary form.
- As a concomitant disease.
The incubation period is 1-4 weeks. At this time, clinical manifestations may be pronounced or any symptoms of the presence of parasites in the body may be completely absent. The disease can become chronic, and recovery processes can begin. The acute period subsides and becomes chronic in the absence of the necessary treatment for giardiasis in children. To take timely action, parents need to know the symptoms of this disease.
Symptoms of giardiasis
Giardiasis in children, the symptoms have the following:
- Frequent complaints of abdominal pain. As a rule, in the upper abdomen, in the navel.
- Nausea and vomiting appear periodically.
- Disrupted bowel function.
- Often bloating, excessive flatulence, noise.
- Diarrhea alternates with constipation.
- Body temperature does not increase critically, but this indicates intoxication of the body.
- Often, rashes can be noticed on the body.
- The child is losing weight. This occurs as a result of poor absorption of nutrients.
- Children often complain of headaches, dizziness.
- Become irritable.
- Often there is a general malaise, fatigue quickly sets in.
- In the chronic course of the disease, darkening of the skin can be noted, or the skin becomes marble.
- Excessive dryness of the skin, as a result of peeling, pimples, cracks, jams.
Such symptoms do not always indicate giardiasis in children. These signs are also characteristic of other diseases, therefore, to make a diagnosis, it is necessary to undergo a diagnosis. Giardiasis in children (the photo below shows the culprit of all the troubles) requires immediate treatment.
Diagnosis of giardiasis
If your child has at least one of the above symptoms, you should see your doctor. If you suspect giardiasis, the following diagnostic methods are used:
- First of all, the doctor conducts an examination and probes the stomach. In the area of ​​the small intestine, and sometimes in the area of ​​the liver and gall bladder, the child may feel pain.
- The main common diagnostic method is a coprogram, a study of feces. The only drawback of the method is that giardiasis has mute stages, this is when cysts with feces do not stand out. It is recommended to re-do the analysis at intervals of 6-8 days 3-4 times.
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Such a study allows you to determine the presence of giardia and determine the period of development of the disease. Not all doctors consider this analysis accurate.
- The study of the small intestine. This method allows you to determine not only the presence of cysts, but also adult giardia. The method is very accurate, as it does not fall into the mute stage.
- When examining the contents of the small intestine, they can take a biopsy of the mucosa.
It should be borne in mind that the result of the analysis may turn out to be false positive if medications, especially antibiotics, are taken during diagnosis. In order for the research results to be reliable, it is necessary not to take any medications for several days before analysis. It is also necessary to warn the doctor about which medicines you are taking. This condition is for any type of diagnosis.
Treatment methods
Doctors believe that treatment of giardiasis in children should begin at the time of exacerbation. There are pronounced symptoms.
The following therapies are available:
- Treatment with drugs.
- Following a strict diet.
- Folk remedies.
It should be noted the treatment regimen for the disease:
- Bowel preparation. Prescribe a diet to cleanse it. It is necessary to create the least favorable environment for giardia. You must follow a diet that excludes foods such as pastries, chocolate, sugar, sugary drinks, flour and pasta. Fresh vegetables and fruits, low-fat meat, baked fish, sour-milk products are recommended.
At the same time, an unfavorable environment is created for Giardia, in which they do not reproduce, their number is reduced. Sorbents, choleretic drugs, enzymes are also prescribed.
- The next step is medication. Prescribe antiparasitic drugs. Against the background of their intake, the child’s health status may worsen due to intoxication of the body. This period lasts from five days to a week.
- After removal of the lamblia, restorative therapy is necessary. It helps to strengthen immunity to enhance the protective functions of the body. First of all, it is recommended to adhere to a diet. To normalize the intestinal microflora, enzymes and probiotics are prescribed to restore the intestinal flora.
Throughout the treatment it is necessary to follow a diet and take sorbents.
After 2-3 months, it is recommended to repeat the analysis for lamblia. Often the analysis may turn out to be positive again. We can not say what was the cause - re-infection or ineffective treatment. This has not yet been established.
Drugs for treatment
For the treatment of giardiasis in children, drugs of the following groups are used:
- Antiparasitic.
- Sorbents.
- Nitroimidazoles.
- Benzimidazoles.
- Nitrofurans.
- Cholagogue.
As a rule, the following drugs fall into these categories:
- Niridazole
- "Furazolidone."
- Tiberal.
- "Pirantel."
- "Metronidazole".
- "Macmirror."
The most popular drug is Macmirror in children with giardiasis. It is quickly absorbed and is less toxic. Not a teratogen and not a carcinogen. It is prescribed not only to children, but also to pregnant women.
Only a doctor can prescribe medications. Do not give babies medicine without consulting a doctor. With the right selection of drugs, giardiasis can be cured, and a violation of the treatment regimen and ineffectively selected medications can transform the disease into a chronic form.
Diet for giardiasis
Following a diet for children with giardiasis is one of the treatment methods. At the same time, the body's defenses increase. It is necessary to observe several rules in the diet:
- All vegetables and fruits must be washed thoroughly with warm water.
- The food should be warm.
- Reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed.
- Eat more sorbent products.
- Limit fats.
- Exclude fried foods from food.
- Drink more fluids.
- Eat more foods that create an acidic environment, which is not favorable for Giardia.
- Stick to fractional nutrition.
The diet and menu for giardiasis in children can vary depending on how the disease progresses and what its shape is.
The doctor will advise you to use products for intestinal giardiasis according to the modified Pevzner table No. 4.
A feature of the course of giardiasis in children is that one of the signs is allergization of the body. This manifests itself in the form of a rash, redness. A hypoallergenic diet is recommended. When choosing a menu, not only the form of the disease is taken into account, but also the age of the child. Be sure to have probiotics in the diet.
If lamblia is detected in the mother, she and her child are treated. If the child is breast-fed, it is gradually transferred to artificial.
There are many alternative methods for treating giardiasis in children, but only a doctor can determine this. Do not risk the health of your child.
Next, we present some popular recipes.
Alternative methods of treatment
For the treatment of many diseases, there are recipes for traditional medicine. A disease such as giardiasis is no exception.
Alternative treatment of giardiasis in children involves the use of the following most effective recipes:
- Pumpkin seeds. 300 grams of pumpkin seeds must be ground and given to the child. Within an hour, you need to eat a little. Pumpkin seeds can be eaten every day.
- Add finely chopped garlic to the boiled cooled milk, insist for 10 minutes. Then strain the drink and drink. Next, put the child to bed, and after an hour you can give semolina porridge.
- Take 1 tablespoon of bearberry leaves and pour a glass of boiling water. The infusion should stand for 12 hours at room temperature. Strain and drink 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.
- Pour oat grains in a thermos with boiling water and leave to insist overnight. In the morning, drink on an empty stomach to the child and put him in bed on his right side.
- Drink pickled cabbage brine 1 teaspoon three times a day.
- The leaves of plantain are mixed in a ratio of 1: 1 with honey. Take 1 tablespoon half an hour before meals.
- Herbal collection of mint, immortelle, elecampane root, sabretnik pour boiling water and leave overnight. Drink half a glass 3-4 times a day.
- Fennel fruits are chopped and poured 1: 2 with water at a temperature of 50 degrees. Leave for a day. Then drain the water, and pour the fruit in water in a ratio of 1: 1 and boil again. Next, strain the broth. Drink 50 grams half an hour before meals.
Treatment of giardiasis in children with folk remedies cannot be the main one. It is used as an adjunct to basic therapy. But before using folk recipes, you need to consult a doctor. And also keep in mind that herbs can cause allergic reactions.
What is the danger of giardiasis for children
Giardia in the child's body absorbs nutrients that are necessary for growth and development. The kid becomes lethargic, inactive, his health worsens. The development of the child is delayed.
Vitamin deficiency may begin to develop, the immune system is severely affected. An intoxication of the body occurs, and this is one of the reasons for the development of allergies in the body, as well as asthma, chronic bronchitis, and common colds.
For many children, this is the cause of the development of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, autonomic nervous system. Lymph nodes may be enlarged and symptoms such as trembling hands, gnashing of teeth, and unexplained weakness may appear. The manifestation of such symptoms should be an occasion to see a doctor.
But do not forget about the measures for the prevention of giardiasis, not only after treatment, but also every day.
Giardiasis Prevention
Having cured giardiasis in a child, it is necessary to adhere to the rules that will help avoid re-infection. Everyone should follow these simple recommendations in order to prevent infection with any parasites.
- Wash hands as often as possible throughout the day. Especially after talking with pets, as well as going to the toilet. Teach your child to do this from an early age.
- Do not allow your child to play with street animals, and regularly carry out antiparasitic treatment at home.
- The child should drink only boiled water.
- Follow a diet that includes foods that contain all the nutrients, minerals and vitamins.
- Do not let babies bite their nails, suck their fingers. Shorten your nails.
- All vegetables and fruits must be washed with running water, then rinsed with boiled water before giving to the child.
- Disinfect all surfaces in the apartment.
- You should not bathe young children in open water. A child may swallow water.
- Wash clothes in which the baby walks on the street.
- When undergoing treatment for giardiasis, the child should have separate dishes.
- Get tested regularly and take your baby for a doctor’s examination. Watch out for his well-being and nutrition.
- Strengthen the child’s immunity, treat diseases in a timely manner. Pay attention to hardening.
Instill good habits in your child. Compliance with hygiene rules and the tips mentioned above will protect the child in the future from infection with giardia and other parasites.
Treatment Reviews
Treatment of giardiasis in children reviews is diverse.
Effective therapy is usually carried out with the use of drugs. A lot of positive reviews about the drug "Macmirror." Parents note that it is necessary to take enzymes and sorbents together. The manifestation of side effects when taking this drug is minimized, the therapeutic effect comes quickly, the negative symptoms go away.
When treating with antiparasitic drugs, many noted that the well-being of a child can significantly deteriorate for a while. It is necessary to support the baby and monitor its nutrition. Also, rashes on the skin may increase, chronic diseases may worsen. In such cases, you must urgently consult a doctor and review the treatment regimen.
A lot of good reviews about some folk remedies. Pumpkin seeds are very popular in treating children.
Mommy notes that it is very important to follow a diet during treatment. Sweet and simple carbohydrates are food for Giardia, they must be excluded from the diet.
The main signs of giardiasis in children most often are allergic rashes and frequent colds, this also includes a decrease in appetite and moodiness. It is much harder and longer to treat a disease that has become chronic. This is also noted in the reviews.
After undergoing treatment for giardiasis in children, parents notice a cure for allergic manifestations, improving the well-being of the child, and restoration of appetite. It is necessary to strictly adhere to the advice of a doctor and after the course of therapy to undergo regular examinations.
As we can see, giardiasis in children, reviews confirm this, is a very difficult and in some cases very dangerous disease.
Plant good habits and follow simple preventative measures, and your children will be healthy.