Choosing a medicine for pinworms for children: a review of drugs

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

The problem of pinworms as a type of helminth is that they are universal, that is, they reproduce with equal success in the body of adults, children, wild and domestic animals, and even fish.

Their multiplication in the human intestine causes nocturnal itching, abnormal discharge, an allergic reaction from the immune defense, and poisoning of the whole body with their waste products.

The widespread prevalence of pinworms makes them especially dangerous for a child, since a neglected helminthic invasion at the age of 10 years leads not only to persistent disorders of immunity and dystrophy, but also to developmental delay.

It is believed that pinworms respond well to treatment with traditional medicine.

But in fact, folk remedies for worms, firstly, are also completely toxic and, secondly, they are suitable for use only against uncomplicated cases of enterobiasis, that is, small colonies that have not yet been guaranteed to infect other organs.

In all other situations, their treatment will not give a result.

Piperazine adipate

This drug against pinworms is considered one of the safest medicines. It is he who is recommended for use by children under 5 years old, as well as pregnant and lactating women. A weak antibiotic in its composition paralyzes ascaris and pinworms well, subsequently removing them with feces. Therefore, the degree of its effectiveness is easy to check in practice - by examining the feces for the presence of thin white "threads" up to 1 cm long (this is how adult pinworms look).

At the same time, it has no effect on pinworm eggs. Therefore, it is prescribed only as part of a complex of strict hygienic measures (in order to gradually remove eggs without being infected with them again) and is not used for infections of other organs, except for the intestines.

For adults, "Piperazine" is prescribed in a dosage of 2 g per 1 dose, 2 times a day, 1-1, 5 hours before meals. The duration of the course is 5 days, followed by a 1 week break, then the course is repeated.

For children, "Piperazine" is prescribed in amounts depending on age:

• Up to 1 year - 400 mg per day, taken in 2 doses of 200 mg each, during the same 5 days as adults, 1 hour before meals;
• From 1 to 3 years - 600 mg per day, according to the same schedule as for adults;
• From 3 to 5 years - 1 g per day;
• From 5 to 8 years old - 1.5 g per day;
• From 8 to 12 years - the dosage reaches 2 g of "Piperazine" per day.

Pirantel

This antibiotic is also recommended for the treatment of children. A medicine based on it can be called differently, from "Combatrin" to "Nemocide", but the active substance in it is always the same. Like Piperazine, Pirantel also paralyzes pinworms, removing them from the body naturally (with feces), but, unlike him, it is also effective against their eggs / larvae. The drug is practically not absorbed in the intestine, remaining and acting only within the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, it is not intended for the treatment of pinworm lesions of other organs.

For adults, "Pirantel" is produced in the form of chewable tablets, and the children's version is a suspension. I must say that the tablets in this case are not suitable for everyone, since they are quite large - about 2 cm in diameter. In addition, many of those who have tried them report the onset of the urge to vomit while still chewing.

Therefore, very often dads and mothers prefer to take the drug for pinworms in the same form as their children - in the form of a suspension. However, in order not to be mistaken when taking it, when choosing a product, it should be borne in mind that the dosage of the active substance in the suspension is always less. For adults, "Pirantel" is prescribed once, in the morning, after breakfast, based on the calculation of 10 mg of active ingredient per 1 kg of body weight (on average, about 3 tablets).

The dosage of the suspension for children depends not so much on the weight of the child as on the age:

• From 1 to 3 years - 125 mg (0.5 measuring spoon, designed for 5 ml);
• From 3 to 6 years old - 250 mg of antibiotic (1 measuring spoon, designed for 5 ml of the drug);
• From 6 to 12 years old - 500 mg of antibiotic (10 ml of suspension or 2 measuring spoons);
• From 12 years old and adults who prefer to take the drug in this form - 15 ml (the entire volume of a standard bottle).

Although Pirantel is not too toxic for the liver with kidneys (due to its low absorption), the gastrointestinal tract, in which it mostly remains, responds to its intake with nausea and obvious urge to vomit. Less common are pain and cramps in the intestines, upset stools.

This remedy for pinworms is contraindicated in pregnancy and lactation, with gastritis or duodenal ulcer, its use must be agreed with a gastroenterologist, and in no case should it be taken during periods of exacerbation.

Mebendazole

This latest generation synthetic antibiotic against pinworms is good for its versatility. It demonstrates high (up to 98%) effectiveness against the 5 most common types of helminths, including pinworms and ascaris.

Under the influence of Mebendazole, helminths lose their ability to absorb nutrients from the intestines and, in fact, die of hunger. Therefore, it is especially recommended for mixed (when several types of worms are found at once) and unidentified (when it is not known exactly which worms have settled in the patient's body) invasions.

With enterobiasis, the drug is prescribed once, with repeated administration after 2 weeks. Adults should take 100 mg of the active ingredient, and children 2 years and older should take no more than 50 mg. It is advisable for adults to repeat it after 14 days, for a child - at least 20 days later. The drug is taken orally, in tablets, chewing or crushing them in another way, immediately before meals. They can be eaten with it or immediately after with 100 ml of water - this method will help reduce the likelihood of nausea or vomiting.

Absorption of "Mebendazole" in the intestine is also extremely low, so side effects from it on the liver are rare and weak. Nevertheless, even if no more than 10% of the dose taken enters the bloodstream, almost all of it will most likely end up in the liver - in its fatty tissues. Therefore, it is contraindicated in fatty hepatosis, pregnancy and lactation, renal failure. It is not prescribed for children under 2 years of age.

Albendazole

A truly powerful drug - effective against adult worms and their eggs with larvae, with a wide spectrum of action. However, unlike all the previous ones, it is absorbed in the intestine quite actively. And therefore, its toxicity to the liver is expressed either moderately or brightly, and only a few cases do without symptoms on its part.

The main advantage of "Albendazole" is the ability to fight against invasions of other organs, not just the stomach and intestines. So it is indispensable in the spread of worms to the liver, kidneys, brain, etc., and it is undesirable to treat mild cases with them.

For children, it is shown only at the age of 5 years and in the presence of complications, mixed invasions by several different types of helminths.

If only pinworms are found in us or in a child, it is worth thinking twice about choosing in his favor and not forgetting to refuse to eat fatty foods 1 day before taking it, and for another 3 days after. With uncomplicated enterobiasis, "Albendazole" should be taken from pinworms only 1 time, in the amount of 200 mg (children from 8 years old) or 400 mg (for adults). Repeat after 20 days.

We kindly ask you not to diagnose yourself and not to self-medicate! Each drug has contraindications, their uncontrolled use can result in complications and health problems!