Deworming in Children: Process, Importance, Prevention and More

Sailender19 Apr, 2020Health

Deworming is an antihelmintic medication provided to children that expels the intestinal worms/parasites from the body. These worms are usually found in soil and can cause Soil-Transmitted Helminth (STH) infections in children and adults. How is STH infection transmitted? The parasitic worms feed on tissues like intestine linings and blood for food and produce thousands of eggs in feces. Infected people defecation contaminates the soil and the infection spreads through: Drinking contaminated water Poor hygiene Consumption of unwashed, unpeeled or undercooked vegetables Children playing in contaminated soil Infected pets Deworming process: WHO recommendations for de-worming include: Preventive chemotherapy: For children of age 2 years and above: Annual or biannual antihelmintic medications Periodic large-scale administration of anthelmintic medicines and improvement in water supply, sanitation, and hygiene Common side effects of deworming: Mild side effects i