Giardiasis belongs to the category of parasitic pathologies, the occurrence of which provokes Giardia. More than half of all patients with giardiasis are young children, and more often up to 5 years.
Infection in children can occur in various forms and with a variety of clinical symptoms, for example, allergic-dermatological, dyspeptic, intoxication, etc. The susceptibility to infection in children is three times higher than in adults.
The danger of pathology is that it can be hidden under the guise of other diseases in young patients, so the diagnosis and prevention of lambliasis development is a rather serious problem.
Causes of
The causative agent of Giardiasis is the simplest parasite - lamblia, which prefers to settle in the human intestine.
- When parasites leave the host's body, they quickly die( vegetative forms), but cysts can survive "outside" up to 70 days in a humid environment, and in water they can hold out for up to 3 months at all.
- Parasites are also capable of parasitizing animals( cats or dogs, rats, etc.) in the intestinal structures, but it has not yet been possible to prove their pathogenic effects on humans.
- . A dozen cysts are enough for a child to get infected, and a sick kid can allocate up to 900 million parasitic cysts per day to the environment, therefore the distribution of parasitic infection in children's institutions is especially rapid.
- The infection scenario proceeds through the fecal-oral mechanism, when cysts penetrate into the digestive system of children, along with consumed products or water, through towels or handkerchiefs, dishes or toys and, of course, unwashed hands.
Infection can occur even with delivery, when the baby passes through the birth canal. If the kid is infected with such parasites in the family, then the other members will also be diagnosed with lambliasis.
Pathogenesis of
When parasite cysts penetrate into the children's body, they get to the intestines, repeatedly sucking and tearing away from its mucous membrane, which leads to serious damage, which causes the activation of opportunistic and pathogenic microorganisms.
Therefore, in children affected lamblias often enough to identify and fungal lesions, Helicobacter pylori, critically decreases the content of lacto- and bifidobacterial organisms.
Against the backdrop of such changes, a pronounced dysbacteriosis develops, which creates a favorable environment for the further progression of giardiasis in the intestinal structures.
In the process of development, parasites emit toxic substances( metabolisms of their vital activity), which lead to serious disruptions in the absorption processes of the small intestine of essential microelements and vitamins, proteins and minerals, fats, etc.
As a result, multivitamin type deficiency and acute micronutrient deficiency are formed.
On the background of these processes intestinal walls are irritated, their nerve endings activate reflex reactions, causing abdominal syndrome. As a result of sensitization, the child often develops allergic reactions, etc.
Photo of the rash in the form of dermatosis with lambliasis in children
If lambliasis parasites will live in the intestines of the child for a long time, the metabolites and toxins of their vital activity provoke the development of immune deficiency of the secondary type, neuroticreactions, endogenous intoxication, etc.
Classification of
Giardiasis of children can manifest themselves in two forms: carriage of parasitic infestations or brightly youa diseased lambliasis. In addition, the pathology is divided into:
- Primary, when there is an acute form of Giardiasis. Usually such lesions are detected in very young children of the nursery and kindergarten age;
- Secondary or prolonged is a chronic giardiasis that usually occurs in school-age children and adults.
Also parasitic infection is classified into the clinical intestinal and hepatobiliary form.
Also, giardiasis can develop in a child in the form of concomitant pathology.
Symptoms of acute form of lambliasis in children
When the pathological parasitic process of lamblia develops, the integrity of the gastrointestinal tracts is damaged, which, after a couple of weeks after the lesion, begins to manifest the first symptoms of parasitic invasion. This indicates the multiplicity of lamblia in such a volume as to provoke disturbances in intestinal activity.
The main shock is directed at the small intestine structures, which are engaged in digestion and absorption, so the pathology is often manifested by exhaustion.
The development of giardiasis in a child can be determined by some specific manifestations:
- Hyperthermia, which is accompanied by chills and pronounced weakness of the baby;
- Diarrhea, long enough, but the child does not go to the toilet often. At the same time, feces have an unpleasant, sharp smell, they can stick to the walls of the toilet, which indicates the presence in the feces of undigested fats;
- Nausea-vomiting reactions;
- Pain manifestations, for lambliasis are considered acute painful spasms in the umbilical region;
- The child noticeably grows thin, skin rashes appear that cause itchy discomfort. Often such reactions are mistaken for manifestations of atopic dermatitis;
- It is also characteristic for pathology and cough, which is caused by a protective reaction of the body to the effect of an allergen in the form of parasites.
Lambliasis often occurs with neuropsychiatric syndrome, in which patients complain of headaches and dizziness, memory problems, or nervous tics.
Symptoms of chronic form
As for chronic forms of parasitic infection, it usually does not occur asymptomatically.
Against the background of giardiasis, stool instability, scaling and noticeable dryness of the skin, allergic pathologies, keratosis or periodic hyperthermia signs to subfebrile values may occur, as well as symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia.
Diagnosis of
Diagnosis of parasitic infection is often associated with certain difficulties. Pathology has no specific symptoms, so babies often undergo useless therapy from a dermatologist or immunologist, neurologist or gastroenterologist.
It is necessary to hand over tests for lambliasis to all children with abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract, neurotic or vegetative disorders, increased allergenicity, etc.
For the detection of lambliasis invasions, the child must submit a sample of stool for analysis, and this procedure must be performed three times, as the cysts are output unevenly, why in the feces they may not show up.
Laboratory tests of duodenal masses, serological tests, PCR diagnostics, etc. are also used to diagnose giardiasis. Additionally, diagnostic tests such as ultrasound examination of abdominal organs, blood biochemistry, detection of dysbiosis by caloric masses, etc. can be prescribed.
How to cure an infection?
Treatment of Giardiasis should be handled exclusively by an experienced specialist, especially when the child is injured. To do this, you need to contact an infectious disease specialist or gastroenterologist.
The general scheme of therapy is based on diagnostic data, laboratory results, evaluation of the overall well-being of the baby, etc. The preparatory stage of treatment requires strict adherence to the dietary diet and relief of cholestasis. This stage lasts about 20 days.
Diet
Nutrition in children's lambliasis implies an approach that necessarily takes into account allergenic effects. For example, allergic reactions usually cause citrus and berries, nuts, etc. Therefore, during the treatment, these products should be excluded from the diet of a small patient.
The basis of the menu should be simple meals from lean meat, vegetables, compotes and low-fat cottage cheese, etc. If there is no characteristic for giardiasis rashes, then the introduction of a small number of bright red berries, fruits or vegetables such as cherries, tomatoes or beets is allowed in the menu.
To exclude the wrong selection of products, you need to contact the pediatrician who will pick up the necessary dietary diet for the baby.
Cooking food should be steamed or boiled. Only strict adherence to the principles of dietary therapy guarantees the child a speedy recovery.
Folk remedies
Among the popular methods for treating Giardiasis, the following are especially known:
- Cucumber water. It is necessary to pour over a half of the overripe cucumbers with a liter of boiling water and insist. The resulting drink should be given to the child throughout the day.
- Garlic milk. Milk boil and cool a little, pour into a glass and add a couple of garlic cloves. The remedy is suitable for the treatment of children over 6 years of age, who need to drink about ¼ cup four times a day, about an hour before meals. Take this milk before recovery.
- Plantain with honey. The leaves of the plantain are ground and mixed with honey 1: 1.To give the baby such a mixture on ch. L.per day for three times approximately half an hour before meals. The medicine is suitable for children over 7 years of age.
- Flaxseed. It is necessary to prepare a mixture of 10 parts of flax seeds and 1 part cloves, pour it with water and cook for half an hour. The weight of the child is divided by 3. The final result is the dose of broth for the baby. Drinking is given no more than three times a day, the course is one and a half to two weeks.
There is still a mass of folk recipes for the treatment of giardiasis in children, however, they can not be practiced on their own, in order to rule out the possibility of unforeseen complications. Therefore, we must first discuss the details of such treatment with a specialist.
Drugs
Drug treatment is the second phase of lambliasis therapy. Usually, the duration of taking the drugs does not exceed a week's course, although in some cases the doctor can prolong the treatment.
Macmirror
The drug Macmiore is often used to treat giardiasis, and the number of possible adverse reactions from it is minimal, and the water spectrum of the antimicrobial effect, on the contrary, is quite wide.
One kilogram of weight is taken by 15 mg of the drug. Parents of small patients who were prescribed this drug, were very pleased with the therapeutic result.
Svetlana:
My son found a lambliasis, the doctor ordered Macmyor. I was very afraid for the child, I thought, it's safer to administer folk remedies, but my husband convinced me. We drank the course of the drug, I was pleasantly surprised that he acts gently, did not notice any poboks. Therefore, she was worried for nothing, for children it is safe.
Nemozol
Quite popular anthelmintic drug - Nemozol. It is capable of destroying not only adults lamblia, but also their larvae, which often makes this drug a priority in the therapy of Giardiasis.
But it can not be used for the treatment of children with hepatic pathologies, diseases of the eye retina. Take the drug only at the same time as eating. The dosage is 10 mg per kilogram.
The drug is not always well tolerated by children, so it is usually prescribed only in severe chronic cases of giardiasis, when it is extremely important to obtain a powerful antiparasitic effect. The opinion of patients using this drug is ambiguous.
Elena:
When my daughter found a lamblia when she was registered at the school, I was just shocked. I myself am literally obsessed with hygiene and my daughter taught me this from the cradle, but the lambliasis was diagnosed. Nemozol was prescribed for his treatment. I did not think that he was appointed a little, but you can not argue with the doctor. After the first reception of reaction to a preparation was not, but after a following dose of a medicine at a daughter the nausea has begun and has vomited several times. So it was a couple of times, but then all the side reactions disappeared, the body adapted to the medicine and we successfully drank the entire course. Control tests of lamblia were not found.
Hofitol
The drug Hofitol is also considered an effective agent, and the preparation is of vegetable origin, and its basis is artichoke.
The drug has a choleretic and diuretic effect, often used to minimize the toxic effects of parasites on the patient's body.
The drug helps to eliminate many toxins, nitrates, etc. The drug is directly indicated if there is a lambliasis.
For children, the form of the drug in the form of a syrup is usually used.
Forecast
If treatment is complete, then remission for clinical and laboratory data is achieved in about 95% of small patients. But there are also situations when there is a relapse or reinfection of lambliasis in children.
Therefore, to avoid such a reaction, the child after cure is observed by the pediatrician for another six months. During this time it is necessary to pass 2-3 preventive examinations for lambliasis invasions.
Prevention
Prophylactic measures for giardiasis suggest the timely detection of infected children in children's groups, as well as their timely treatment. Parents should from childhood teach their children personal hygiene skills.
For drinking it is better to use pre-boiled water, and fruits or vegetables should be thoroughly washed and sprinkled with boiling water. Also, anti-epidemic measures in preschool and school establishments are excellent preventive methods.
Which doctor heals?
The treatment of giardiasis is performed by a children's gastroenterologist.
Video of Dr. Komarovsky about giardiasis in children: