Lamblias. This word we hear from time to time, but we do not pay much attention, believing that our child will not be affected by this disease. However, such a point of view is fundamentally erroneous - according to statistical data, sooner or later, with every lambliosis infection, every third child encounters. Agree that this is not such a small figure, and absolutely any child is at risk. And giardiasis symptoms manifest in a very large number of children. Hearing from the attending physician the words that the child is infected with Giardia, parents often do not fully understand what they had to face. This article describes in detail what lamblia is, how they get into the child's body, what complications cause, what symptoms are manifested, and, finally, how to save the child from them. Lambliasis is essentially nothing more than a banal parasitic infection. The causative agent of the disease is the simplest microscopic unicellular parasite - lamblia. In the body of the child lamblia live in the liver and small intestine, disrupting their normal functioning. Giardia are divided into two types:
- Vegetative (mobile) form.
Lamblias of this species are pear-shaped, itsthe front end is rounded, and the tail end, on the contrary, is pointed. Its length is about half a millimeter. Giardia has four pairs of flagella and one disc, with which it is firmly fixed to the intestinal mucosa.
- Cysts.
In the event that lamblia from the small intestinefall into thick, they change, because the conditions there for them are extremely unfavorable. Lamblias are transformed into cysts that have an oval shape, about a millimeter in size. Cysts are devoid of any mobility. However, cysts are extremely important for the reproduction of lamblia. Cysts from the large intestine fall into the stool and are removed from the body. Getting into the external environment, Giardia can stay there for a long time, exposing the risk of contamination of others. At an ambient temperature of about 18 degrees, the viability of lamblia persists for 40 days, under the rays of the scorching sun - up to 7 days, and in ice water - up to three days. Once in the human body, lamblia cysts are again released from the membranes and acquire mobility. The most popular lamblia habitats are sewage, natural reservoirs with sewage, dirty hands of already infected giardiasis babies, unwashed fruits and vegetables, and sand in children's sandboxes, especially if there are cats in your yard, and the sandbox does not close for the night with a lid . Physicians identify three main ways of transferring cysts of lamblia:
- Waterway of infection.
At a water way of infection, lamblia cysts penetratein the body of a child when using contaminated tap water. Unfortunately, very often in many cities tap water does not undergo the necessary thorough cleaning, and the risk that the baby will catch lamblia simply by drinking water from the tap is very, very large. The same can happen if the child accidentally swallows water while swimming in an open water body. However, for the sake of justice, it should be noted that lamblia cysts live only in fresh water and never in saline marine.
- Contact - household way of infection.
With this type of infection, the transfer of lamblia fromone child to another occurs through cysts contaminated with cysts, dishes, towels, dishes. Especially high risk of infection with lamblia in those children who have a habit of gnawing toys, pens, pencils, nails. As a rule, almost a hundred percent of these children are diagnosed with Giardia.
- Nutritional route of infection.
In the event that a child consumes unwashed fruits and vegetables, and especially meat that has not undergone the necessary heat treatment, there is a sufficiently high risk of infection with lamblia.
Dangers of Giardiasis for a Child's Body
It goes without saying that the presence in the bodythe child of such "neighbors in captivity" can not but have a negative impact on the well-being and health of the baby. Next, we will talk about what happens after the introduction of lamblia in the child's body. After the lamblia cysts enter the baby's intestines and are released from their shells, they begin to multiply actively. However, pay attention to the following fact: in order for lamblia to reproduce, they must have a sufficient amount of nutrients. And, of course, lamblia take them from the blood of the child. Thus, the crumb risk to remain without vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. As a result, there is a risk of development in the child of vitamin deficiency. Lamblias, despite their tiny size, are still quite independent living organisms. In the process of their life, lamblia releases a variety of toxic substances into the bloodstream of the child, which can significantly suppress the normal functioning of the immune system and provoke the child to develop the strongest allergic reactions to the most insignificant allergens. Doctors say that children infected with giardia often suffer from such diseases as bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis with atopic component, atopic dermatitis and frequent colds. Giardiasis is an insidious disease, which very successfully masks itself for other ailments. And as a result, if immediately a survey aimed at detecting the presence of lamblia in the body is performed, the child will have to undergo a long and completely useless treatment from a wide variety of specialists - an allergist, pulmonologist, immunologist.
Acute form of the disease
In the event that the child's bodyAt the same time, a large number of lumblii cysts got caught, the disease develops rapidly and proceeds in acute form. The child has a sharp decrease in appetite - he can almost completely give up eating, he may have a feeling of nausea and even vomiting. In addition, often the baby rises a fairly high temperature - up to 39 degrees. The child may have a pronounced bloating and the appearance of extensive rashes, similar to rubella. Most often in acute form, the disease occurs in children of young children under the age of three. This feature is due to the fact that in young children the immune system is not developed well enough. As a rule, at this stage, doctors rarely diagnose giardiasis. And the baby begins to heal from anything - most often from an acute intestinal infection - but not from a lambliasis. As a result, the disease flows into a chronic form. The child periodically has diarrhea and pain in the abdomen, the baby begins to lose weight. The color of the skin colors changes - they acquire a very pale shade. And the language of a sick child, on the contrary, often acquires a shade of yellowness.
Symptoms of Giardiasis in Children
As mentioned above, the symptoms of the diseaseGiardiasis is a variety of, often very similar to the manifestations of other diseases. However, if the parents notice that their child has two or more of the following symptoms, they should ask the doctor for the necessary study. So, lamblia in children have the following symptoms:
- Violation of the child's normal process of digestion.
Chronic diarrhea or constipation in a child canto testify that the child is infected with lamblia. However, we also must not forget that such a digestive disorder is very often provoked by ordinary intestinal dysbiosis. Therefore, in the event that a child suffers from a digestive disorder, be sure to also check if he has a dysbiosis.
- Subfebrile temperature in a child.
Subfebrile physicians name the temperature, notexceeding 37.5 degrees. In the event that during the course of at least two weeks your child has a fever in the evenings, for no apparent reason, the temperature must rise, be sure to see a doctor for a test for giardiasis.
- Drawing pain in the abdomen.
As a rule, a small child can not accuratelyindicate where exactly he is experiencing pain. And only very adult children indicate a more accurate localization of pain - usually around the navel and in the right hypochondrium.
- Low vitality of the child.
You noticed that before an active child lostits former "light"? If your child's fatigue is increased, the ability to concentrate attention, to perceive new information is reduced, try to show the child as soon as possible to the doctor - even if it is not lambliasis that is the cause, the cause should be found as soon as possible.
- A squeak of teeth in a dream.
Toxic substances that enter the child's bloodstream,can adversely affect the operation of the central nervous system. And, as a consequence of the violation of her work, there may be a squeak of teeth at night.
- Enlarged liver and spleen.
- Enlargement of lymph nodes, for no apparent reason.
- Attacks of suffocating cough.
- Increased amount of eosinophils in the blood of the child.
Now it became clear to you why it is rather difficult to diagnose giardiasis. He successfully masks for dozens of other diseases. 
Diagnosis of the disease in children
Unexpected timely lambliasis is capabledeliver a large number of various troubles. And, in addition, the more advanced the disease, the harder it is to treat. That is why it is best to catch the disease at its very beginning. In order to identify the presence in the body of the child lamblia, certain methods are used. Sometimes it is enough to conduct only one study, and sometimes you have to resort to the whole complex. So, the analysis for giardiasis:
- Coprological examination.
To carry it out, the child must pass an analysisfeces. The doctor - a laboratory assistant under a microscope to study the contents of stools, to determine the presence of cysts in them. However, it must be borne in mind that it is not always possible to detect cysts of lamblia in the feces of a sick child.
- Duodenal examination.
If the diagnosis of giardiasis is performed in a childolder than ten years, a very effective method may be a study of bile, in which lamblia cysts are almost always, if, of course, the child is infected with Giardiasis. In the case of toddlers, this method is practically not used because of the bile extraction procedure, which is quite difficult for the child, for analysis.
- Serological diagnosis.
Recently, more and more popularityacquires a serological study of blood in order to identify specific antibodies produced by the body of the child in response to infection with lamblia. However, this method has one significant drawback: a blood test for giardiasis is effective only in the first three to four weeks after the lamblia enters the body.
Treatment of giardiasis in children
Giardiasis itself is difficult enoughtreatable disease. There is a huge number of very different folk ways of treating Giardiasis. However, in no case is it inadmissible to refuse treatment of the disease from a doctor. For children over the age of ten, if you really want, you can try to use some of them without giving up the main treatment. To children of younger age any prescriptions of national medicine will not bring anything, except for harm. Giardiasis treatment requires immediate and serious. Scheme of treatment of giardiasis in a child to date, doctors have worked well. As a rule, the child should take special antiparasitic drugs, for example, makmiror or metranidozole. Dosage and timing of the drug should be prescribed only by a doctor, taking into account the particular course of the disease, the age and weight of the child. Independently determine the dosage of the drug is not worth it, since it is quite toxic and overdose can lead to complex consequences, up to the disruption of the normal functioning of the kidneys and liver. Parents should keep in mind the following information. Approximately on the fifth day after the beginning of treatment with anti-parasitic drugs, the state of the child can often deteriorate significantly. To be frightened of it it is not necessary - process absolutely natural and normal. There is a worsening of the child's condition because under the influence of drugs there is a death and disintegration of a huge number of lamblia, which are in the intestines of the child. Toxic decay products are absorbed into the child's blood and worsen his well-being. To alleviate the condition of the baby, doctors prescribe antihistamines and laxatives. If lambliasis in children, treatment should almost always be complex, to achieve a more successful result. However, despite all these difficulties, the state of the child significantly improves already on the ninth - the tenth day after the start of treatment. The amount of rashes on skin integuments is significantly reduced, dyspnea disappears, cough, lymph nodes decrease in size. However, do not forget - even if all the signs of giardiasis have disappeared, after the end of treatment it is necessary to undergo another examination for lamblia, in order to prevent a relapse of the disease.
Traditional methods of treating giardiasis in children
As mentioned above, for children moreIn addition to medical treatment, older people can use traditional methods of treatment. Below are the most popular and effective traditional medicine, designed to combat giardiasis. However, once again draw the attention of parents - if a lamblias child, treatment with folk remedies can be used as an addition to the main treatment, but not as a substitute for it! To successfully get rid of giardiasis during treatment, a child must follow a certain curative diet - otherwise the desired result will be much more difficult to achieve. Scientists have found out that lamblia are most comfortable in a sweet environment, but in acidic, on the contrary, they die very quickly. Diet is an important part of how to treat lamblia in children. As a rule, the diet in the treatment of giardiasis is also selected by the child's attending physician. When compiling a baby's diet, parents must take into account this peculiarity of lamblia. Exclude from the menu of your child all sweet foods, including sweet drinks, such as tea or cocoa. But sour-milk products, on the contrary, are very useful during the treatment of Giardiasis - they several times increase the effectiveness of drugs. The diet for giardiasis in children also helps to significantly reduce the risk of developing typical complications for this disease.
- Ash of a linden tree.
Very effective treatment ifa child lambliosis of the liver is the ash of a linden tree. Prepare the ash easily at home. Break a few thin twigs, put them in a preheated oven for about half an hour, so they dry up. After that, grind them and burn them. Just be careful and do not forget about the fire safety technique. It is best to burn lime sprigs in any metal container. In the end, you should get at least one teaspoon of ash, which is needed so that there are no lumps, sift through a sieve. Divide the ash into 7 equal parts - this is the number necessary for the week. Every morning, give the child ash mixed with a teaspoon of honey. Invite the child to drink this mixture with a glass of warm milk. Note that this recipe can be used only for those children who do not suffer from any food allergic reactions. As a rule, one seven-day course of treatment is enough to get rid of parasites and improve the child's well-being. However, do not forget that after any treatment it is necessary to undergo a second examination in order to make sure that all parasites are expelled from the body without the remainder.
- Decoction of aspen.
Aspen decoction is an excellent antiparasiticmeans for more than one century. And in our days a decoction of aspen has been rescued from lamblia by more than a dozen children. To prepare the broth, you can use both the kidneys and leaves, and the bark. Take one spoonful of raw material, place it in a saucepan and pour one liter of water. Bring to a boil and cook the aspen for about half an hour. After this, allow the broth to cool and strain it through the gauze fabric. The child should take the broth twice a day, one cup each. The course of treatment should last approximately two weeks, after which it is necessary to pass tests for the presence of lamblia in the child's body.
- Infusion of herbs celandine.
Purity also very quickly releases the bodya man from lamblia. To make this infusion, chop one tablespoon of celandine grass, place it in a thermos and pour two cups of boiling water. Close the thermos lid tightly and let it brew for several hours. After this infusion, strain through gauze cloth, pour it into glassware. Keep the infusion necessary only in the refrigerator. The child should take one tablespoon before each meal. The course of treatment should last no more than 5 days, after which it is necessary to take a break in two days. In total it is admissible to conduct no more than three similar courses of treatment.
- Decoction of dandelion root.
Decoction of the root of a dandelion can also become trueally of parents in the fight against lamblia. The root of the dandelion you can buy at the pharmacy. Grind two tablespoons of dandelion root, pour them half a liter of water and put on a slow fire. Boil the broth for at least 15 minutes. After this, cool it to room temperature and strain with gauze. The prepared broth can be stored in the refrigerator, no more than two days. Give the broth to the child must be in the morning on an empty stomach, and in the evening before going to bed. Dosage of the broth is calculated based on the ratio of 1 teaspoon to ten kilograms of weight. The course of treatment should last no less than 10 days.
- Oil of bergamot.
Very good effect with giardiasis rendersbergamot oil. To eliminate lamblia, a one-week course of treatment is necessary. On a sugar cube, drip one drop of oil and let it be eaten in the morning, on an empty stomach.
- Tincture of cucumbers.
Traditional medicine recommends fighting withlamblias in children tincture of cucumbers. For the tincture you will need seed cucumbers, as ripe as possible. Cut and put in an enamel dish two hundred grams of seed cucumber, pour one liter of steep boiling water and let it brew for two hours. Prepared infusion pour into a container and store only in the refrigerator. Let the child drink at least half a liter of infusion throughout the day. The course of treatment should last for one week.
- Compresses with a solidol.
Another interesting recipe for the peoplemedicine, designed to rid the child of Giardiasis. For him you will need white solidol, paper and polyethylene film. Put a towel soaked in hot water on the liver, for about 10 - 15 minutes. After this, wipe dry the skin in the liver, then put a simple sheet of paper on top and cover with a plastic wrap. It is best to do a similar compress for the night, leaving it until the morning. In the morning, solidol from the skin should be properly washed and lubricated by any fat cream. The course of treatment should last at least 14 days.
Prevention of giardiasis in children
This article tells how to treatgiardiasis. But I want to repeat it once again - all treatment should be done only under close supervision of the doctor. And at last it is impossible not to tell briefly about such an important aspect as the prevention of giardiasis. After all, the prevention of any disease is much more effective than its subsequent treatment. The very first and main measure of prevention is cleanliness. Be sure to wash fruits and vegetables, as well as eggs. To wash them is best with a brush with soap, and afterwards pour boiled (not damp) water. Perhaps, such a measure may seem superfluous, but it is with unwashed fruits and vegetables that lamblias cysts usually enter the child's body. The child should know for sure that while the apple or pear is not washed - there is no way they can not, and simple "Mom, wipe" is not enough. After all, you do not know exactly which apple lamblia will be - it is quite possible that on the very one you gave the child to the unwashed. And, of course, parents should instill in children personal hygiene skills. Washing hands before eating should become for the child the same natural part of life as sleep and eating. And another very important aspect - if your child has a habit of gnawing on nails, or any foreign objects, such as pens or pencils. They are also very often cysts lamblia. It would seem that a sufficiently innocuous habit can cause a constant repeated infection of lamblia with cysts. And, as a result, the most successful treatment will be useless, since the child will, together with the handles, pull into the mouth of the lamblia cysts. If your child is still too young, it is better to give up pets. Of course, this axiom is true only for newly acquired pets. If you have an animal before the birth of the child, then just try to protect the child as much as possible from close contact with the pet. An older child should be taught to wash hands after each contact with the animal. Do not entrust cleaning of cat litter even to older children, since the risk of infection is tripled. Pay attention to the problem of feeding the child out of the house. Do not buy a "snack" baby in small fast food outlets, because it is unknown. In what conditions is food prepared there. Do not give your child too much pocket money, because he can spend it on buying food in such places. Of course, you should take care of the child's opportunity to eat - if the school does not have a canteen, prepare food for the child at home. A very important aspect of prevention is the sandbox. The risk of infection with lamblia in the sandbox is large enough. After all, as is known, sand serves as a magnet for all neighboring cats, which use a children's sandbox as a toilet. So, do you want to prevent kids from playing in the sandbox? Of course, this is not an option. And to solve the problem quite simply - you will need only 4 slats and ordinary thick film, which is used for greenhouses. Cut out the film to the size of the sandbox and fasten it to a frame made of wooden slats. Close the sandbox in the evening when all the kids go home. And in kindergarten it is also necessary to make a similar cover for the sandbox and to teach the teachers to close the sandbox after the children's walk. And, finally, swimming in open water. Almost all small children in the process of bathing periodically swallow the water. And in fresh water reservoirs, especially if it is standing, can live not only cysts of lamblia, but also other "living creatures" that can get into the body of your crumbs and begin to parasitize there. That is why pediatricians do not recommend swimming in open water until the age of five. The only exception is bathing in sea water, since no parasites survive in salt water. Compliance with these simple rules will help reduce the risk of infection with Giardiasis by about 60%. However, remember that even if a small fraction of the probability of infection, but still there is always. And if you notice that something is going wrong with the baby's organism, be sure to contact a pediatrician with a request for a test for giardiasis. Remember, the earlier the disease is detected, the less lamblia will have time to multiply in the child's body. We advise you to read:
