WORMS - Dont treat yourself consult your Doctor

WORMS 

A good reason for considering worm infections-more properly called intestinal parasites-at this point is that parents often blame them for children's convulsions. Actually, convulsions are never caused by worms. The chief worm infections of children are transmitted from humans to humans rather than from animals. Three main types of worms affect children in the United States.

These are the long round worm, Ascaris; the tiny, threadlike pinworm, also called seat-worm; and the hookworm, midway between the other two in size. These three cause many more infections than either the tapeworm, or the trichina worm which infests pork. While children often are less susceptible to trichinosis than adults, they too should be given only thoroughly cooked pork or pork products. Roundworm Infection Resembling earthworms, roundworms may sometimes be seen in bowel movements or in a child's bed. Occasionally, one may be vomited. The worm should be saved to show to the doctor. Roundworms may make a child irritable, restless at night. He will probably develop an erratic or poor appetite and may not gain weight. He may tire easily. The worms can be eliminated by special medicines which must be administered under a doctor's care.

Do not try to treat worms by getting medication at the drugstore. Children have died from over dosage of such medications. Also, only a doctor knows how to judge when the treatment has been completely effective. Unless all eggs and worms are killed or expelled, the sickness will return. Hookworm Infection This parasite, which infects children in the southern states, enters the body through the skin, usually when a child walks barefooted in infected. The worm then travels if the blood into the lungs and gets into the air passages, from which it enters the esophagus when coughing occurs. After arriving in the intestine via the esophagus and stomach, it looks up permanent residence in the small intestine, and discharges many eggs into the feces. It breeds at a lively rate. Being parasites, the worms live off the infected person's food and body, taking valuable protein and blood-building materials. This is why anemia is a chief symptom of severe hookworm infestation.

The child usually looks and acts rundown and listless. Hookworm disease is diagnosed by examination of the stools for the characteristic worm eggs. Treatment is effective when administered by a physician or health officer. A good preventive is a pair of shoes or sneakers. While there may be a problem in getting some children to give up the pleasures of walking barefoot, they would cooperate in wearing shoes or at least sneakers if they were educated by parents, teachers, and doctors about the dangers of hookworm disease.