Treatment of giardiasis in children: Komarovsky said his word

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

Giardia are unicellular protozoa that parasitize humans in the small intestine. It is difficult to classify them as helminths, but many experts consider giardiasis to be a serious disease. Is it really?

Treatment of giardiasis in children: Komarovsky and his opinion

Perhaps, now there are no such parents who would not have heard anything about the doctor of pediatrics Komarovsky.

His medical experience allows him to be trusted.

Many moms and dads like him for his ability to simply and easily present the clinical picture of childhood diseases.

Komarovsky also did not disregard the treatment of giardiasis in children. He does not consider this disease serious and dangerous, and his treatment is mandatory.

If the parents were given a verdict about the presence of lamblia cysts in the baby's feces, do not panic. According to statistics, one in three is a carrier of lamblia and does not suffer from their presence.

In rare cases, the number of these parasites exceeds the norm and causes giardiasis, that is, inflammation of the small intestine, although it is difficult to call it inflammation.

However, everything is in order …

Giardiasis in children: symptoms of the disease

What are the symptoms that characterize this pathology? Giardiasis is a disease that, with its symptoms, often leads pediatricians to misdiagnose.

See for yourself:

• a slight increase in temperature to 37.5 degrees;
• nausea;
• vomit;
• abdominal pain;
• diarrhea or constipation;
• weakness;
• poor appetite.

Additional symptoms are also present. Some children grind their teeth in a dream, they have an enlarged liver and lymph nodes during examination, and coughing fits. Sometimes allergic rashes appear on the skin in the form of urticaria, neurodermatitis, edema. This is a sign of intoxication of the body as a result of the decomposition of dead lamblia. Also, parents note twitching in the movements of children or, conversely, lethargy. Remember, any of these symptoms can mean anything, so the baby needs to be shown to the doctor.

Giardiasis in children: causes of the disease

It's easy to catch lamblia. There are several ways to populate the organism of "neighbors" from the group of protozoa:

Water. Swimming in a pond is not only games and fun, it is also a risk of swallowing lamblia cysts along with water. Poorly treated tap water can also be the cause. In general, Giardia likes to settle in water bodies, so when choosing a place for swimming, you need to be careful;

Infection through objects. Children love to put shared toys, pencils, and anything else into their mouths. If in a group of babies one is infected, then be sure that after a while, lamblia cysts in the feces will be found in all the rest during analysis;

Food. An unwashed apple or other fruits and vegetables do not always guarantee the development of giardiasis, but the chances of getting it in this way are great. Children are too lazy to wash fruits, therefore, they have the highest risk. You can also get parasites by eating not enough heat-treated meat or scrambled eggs, raw milk or contaminated cottage cheese;

Also, children are easily infected through animal feces. Pay attention to the sandboxes where toddlers play and which dogs and cats have access to. This is a direct route to worms and other parasites.

Treatment of giardiasis in babies

Do not faint at the sight of a positive fecal test result for giardiasis in a baby. The cysts of these protozoa do not always mean a disease. If the child is healthy, has good stools and appetite, then there is nothing to worry about. This is the opinion of Dr. Komarovskoy. He claims that it is not worth poisoning children with drugs in this case.

However, if the number of lamblia exceeds the norm, then treatment measures can be taken. But not necessarily! As a rule, this disease goes away on its own within three days. This time is enough for the immune system to overcome the problem.

Some doctors claim that Giardia is able to live in the liver and gallbladder and, accordingly, cause serious harm to these organs. But Dr. Komarovsky has an answer to this statement - lamblia do not live in the gallbladder, if only for the reason that they simply cannot survive in conditions of being in bile. Outside the small intestine, these unicellular organisms simply die. Accordingly, their presence in the liver and gallbladder and diseases of these organs are out of the question.

However, the doctor is more likely to prescribe treatment.

It will include such drugs and activities:

• diet;
• antiparasitic medicines;
• absorbent drugs.

The diet includes a ban on flour products, including pasta and confectionery. Also, you should not eat sweets, milk, smoked meats. In order not to burden the gastrointestinal tract once again during the treatment period, the baby should not be given coarse foods, marinades, pickles, citrus fruits and carbonated drinks.

Pay attention to the way the food is prepared. Do not cook fried and baked goods. Better to boil food or steam it. Actually, it is better to adhere to such a diet at all times.

Antiparasitic drugs are aimed at destroying lamblia. However, it should be borne in mind that they do not affect the larvae and cysts in any way, but they effectively infect adults.

These drugs include:

• trichopolum;
• trinidazole;
• furazonidol.

Dr. Komarovsky consider that the use of such drugs is an optional measure. But if the doctor insists on active treatment, then it is better to opt for furazonidol. This is the safest option for kids.

As for the absorbing drugs, their use will cleanse the intestines of decay products and toxins that arise during the decomposition of dead parasites. Activated carbon will not be enough, although its use is not prohibited, but rather supported. But it is better to use more effective means, for example, Enterosgel or its analogues.

Prevention of giardiasis in children

There are preventive methods that will help protect the baby not only from these simplest parasites, but also from other worms:

• First of all, parents should monitor the hygiene of the baby. Be sure to wash your hands with soap and water after walking or interacting with animals. Teach your child to do it independently and regularly;
• On the street, make sure that the baby does not pull various objects into his mouth, even toys intended for playing outside the house;
• Choose sandboxes that close at night with special lids. This protection will prevent animals from using sand as a toilet;
• Watch carefully what the child is eating. Unwashed fruit or vegetables can cause infection. Boil meat and eggs thoroughly. Do not give unboiled water to drink!

So, Dr. Komarovsky believes that giardiasis is a harmless disease that a child can cope with on his own without the use of drugs. It does not harm the liver and gallbladder, since there are no conditions for the survival of the protozoa. If lamblia cysts were found in a child's feces, this does not mean a disease.

Such a diagnosis is not a sentence, so you should not stuff your baby with medications. If suspicious symptoms were found in the crumbs, an urgent need to consult a pediatrician.