Parasites in Children

A parasite is a type of organism that needs to live off another organism to survive. Parasites such as protozoa and worms can cause health problems in children by secreting toxins in and/or taking nutrients from their bodies.

Common Parasites

• Giardia lamblia is a type of protozoa, spread through contaminated water and feces, which infects a child's intestines or gallbladder. A pinworm enters the body through dirty hands, bed sheets or clothes and infects the colon. A roundworm is a parasite that is spread through food and infects the small intestines and other organs, according to Allergyescape.com. Flea and mites are parasites that can be spread through direct human contact and animals and feed on humans' blood. Head lice, other parasites that take human blood, are only spread through direct human contact.

Spread

• Many parasites are spread through animal feces, insect bites, contaminated water or food and hand contact. Children who go to a day care or swim in a public pool often get parasitic infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Symptoms

• People with parasitic infections often have symptoms such as diarrhea, chest pain, changes in bowel habits, rumbling in the stomach, nasal congestion, anal or nasal itching, headaches, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, dizziness and nausea.

Diagnosis and Treatment

• Doctors often take samples of stool, blood and phlegm to look for the presence of parasites in children's bodies. The Being Alive Newsletter states that children are often given prescription drugs as treatment for parasitic infections, including Flagyl for amoeba infections and Atabrine for a giardia lamblia infection.

Prevention

• It is possible to prevent parasitic infections in children by having them wash their hands regularly with antibacterial soap and water and keeping them from eating unwashed raw foods.