Contents:
- Medical Video: Overpopulation – The Human Explosion Explained
- Impact of intestinal worms on children's health and growth
- How do you prevent worms in children?
Medical Video: Overpopulation – The Human Explosion Explained
Worms are a disease that many children still suffer from. Do you still remember the outbreaks of malnutrition in Asmat, Papua that have recently occurred? Well, one of the reasons is that worms are suffered by many Asmat children. This indirectly explains that intestinal worms affect the nutrition and growth and development of children. Unfortunately, worms in children are still considered trivial by most people.
Impact of intestinal worms on children's health and growth
Because usually the impact of intestinal worms is not seen directly, worms are often considered trivial. Even though in the long run, intestinal worms can cause anemia in children, even malnutrition.
Worms that enter the child's body will nest in the intestine. Worms that live in this intestine will then multiply, so that the number will continue to grow. Unfortunately, the presence of worms in a child's intestine does not cause symptoms or infections directly, so you as a parent may not know if the child is secretly intestinal worms.
Over time, intestinal worms can produce symptoms such as enlarged stomach, appetite for missing children, weight loss, vomiting, insomnia, and irregular breathing.
Reporting from the Indonesian Ministry of Health page, one worm in the child's intestine can suck blood and nutrients, such as carbohydrates and protein. Roundworms can suck carbohydrates as much as 0.14 grams and protein as much as 0.035 grams. Whip worms can suck up as much as 0.005 ml of blood, while hookworms can suck up as much as 0.2 ml of blood.
At first glance this number looks small. However, if there are many worms in a child's intestine for a long time, of course, this amount will increase and harm the child. Children can lack blood and lack nutrition due to intestinal worms. Malnutrition in childhood can certainly hinder a child's growth and development. The child may look thinner and shorter than other children his age due to malnutrition for a long time.
How do you prevent worms in children?
Children can get worms because of a dirty environment and poor sanitation. Worms can enter the child's nails and when the child puts his finger in the mouth, the worms can enter the child's body and multiply in the intestine.
Worms in the form of worm eggs can also enter the child's body after playing in a dirty place or after eating food infected with worms. The worms and eggs can last up to two weeks without food.
Here are some things you can do to prevent child worms:
- Get children to wash their hands after playing, after from the bathroom, as well as before and after eating
- Cut the child's nails regularly
- Don't let the child suck on his thumb or finger
- Give children worm medicine every six months regularly
- Clean the child's toilet and bedroom regularly
