All you need to know about deworming babies – Part 1

Well, one of the most common yet nasty conditions affecting babies during monsoon is infestation of worms. It is quite a serious ailment and can affect your baby in many ways adversely.

How serious is it?

Since the worms consume the nutrients and vitamins from your child’s intestine, it can therefore lead to malnutrition, poor weight gain, and anemia in your baby. Infected children thus, become more vulnerable to illness, as their immune systems also get affected due to lack of nutrition. These worms usually make the intestine their home. Your baby could have caught it while walking around barefoot on infected soil, playing in the contaminated water or  by eating unclean food. Once these eggs hatch, the worms will grow and lay more eggs in your baby’s body. The most common worm species are mainly Roundworms and Hookworms. 

How do kids contract this infestation?

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Infected soil 

This is the most common way children get worms, which include threadworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms. These worms thrive in any soil that is dirty and damp. Children can get infected from walking barefoot on infected soil, from unclean hands or unwashed food.

Undercooked or infected food

Worm eggs stay on plants and vegetables that have not been thoroughly washed and we can get infected by eating such foodstuff. Animals that live along water areas, such as fish and cattle, can also get sick. So eating meat and fish that are raw or undercooked, can also carry the risk of  worm infestations.

Contaminated water

Some types of worms also breed in water. They can be found in lakes, dams, and puddles. Playing, bathing, and swimming in such areas or drinking and eating contaminated water and food, can result in a worm infestation. Children tend to be affected the most as their immune systems are weaker than those of adults.

Contact with an infected person

If your baby is in contact with someone who already has worms, then he can catch the infection from them if they do not maintain proper personal hygiene themselves. Worm eggs often remain under fingernails or on badly washed hands and can pass on from there to your baby’s toys or directly into her mouth.

But of course like every other ailment, worm  infestations also come with their tell-tale symptoms which can be easily detected and cured. We will talk about this and much more in the second part of the article.

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