Worms are one of the most common conditions that children catch, occasionally from pets, but usually from themselves, or other infected people. There are several types of worms that can affect humans, but the usual culprit is the threadworm.
You catch worms by eating the worm’s eggs which hatch in the intestines to produce the worm. This worm will then travel out the intestines and lay further eggs around the anus, causing itching. If the area is scratched the eggs may lodge under the fingernails. They are then spread by touching food or other people, infecting either themselves again or others.
You can detect if your child has worms if they have the thread-like worms in their poo or suffer from an itching bottom, particularly at night, where the small eggs may be seen.
Treating worms is generally simple. Most people are treated successfully by preparations available from your community pharmacist. However, not all worm preparations are safe for all, so you need to seek advice about whether worm treatments are suitable for everyone in your family. It is usual to treat all family members, in case the infection has spread beyond the affected person. If you cannot be treated for any reason, then you should be careful to practice good hygiene, keeping fingernails short and well-scrubbed, especially after touching an infected person or their belongings. Affected skin, particularly around the bottom, can be soothed by protective creams used for nappy rash.
If you believe that you or anyone in your family may have worms, consult your community pharmacist for treatments and advice on how to prevent reinfection.
If you have been travelling to other countries, and suspect a worm infection, or have been feeling tired or are suffering from diarrhoea, you may have been infected with some other more sinister parasite that will need an alternative treatment in order to eradicate the infection. Your community pharmacist will be able to supply you with the advice you need to address this.
Worms ni moja ya hali ya kawaida ambayo watoto kupata, mara kwa mara kutoka kwa wanyama wa kufugwa, lakini kwa kawaida kutoka kwao wenyewe au watu wengine walioambukizwa. Kuna aina kadhaa za minyoo ambayo inaweza kuathiri wanadamu, lakini mara nyingi ni minyoo wa kamba. Unakamata minyoo kwa kula mayai ya minyoo ambayo huanguliwa katika matumbo ili kutokeza minyoo. Kisha mdudu huyo hutoka kwenye matumbo na kuweka mayai zaidi kuzunguka tumbo la uzazi, na kusababisha kukwaruza. Ikiwa eneo hilo limekwaruzwa, mayai yanaweza kukaa chini ya kucha za vidole. Kisha huenea kwa kugusa chakula au watu wengine, wakijambukiza wenyewe au wengine. Unaweza kugundua kama mtoto wako ana minyoo ikiwa ana minyoo kama nyuzi katika poo yake au anaugua chini ya kukwaruza, haswa usiku, ambapo mayai madogo yanaweza kuonekana. Kwa kawaida ni rahisi kutibu minyoo. Watu wengi hutibiwa kwa mafanikio na maandalizi yanayopatikana kutoka kwa mfamasia wa jamii yako. Hata hivyo, si dawa zote za kuua minyoo ambazo ni salama kwa kila mtu, kwa hiyo unahitaji kutafuta ushauri kuhusu kama matibabu ya minyoo yanafaa kwa kila mtu katika familia yako. Ni kawaida kutibu washiriki wote wa familia, iwapo maambukizo yameenea zaidi ya mtu aliyeathiriwa. Ikiwa huwezi kutibiwa kwa sababu yoyote, basi unapaswa kuwa mwangalifu kufanya usafi mzuri, kuweka misumari fupi na kusafishwa vizuri, haswa baada ya kugusa mtu aliyeambukizwa au mali zao. Ngozi iliyoathiriwa, hasa karibu na sehemu ya chini, yaweza kutuliza kwa kutumia krimu za kulinda zinazotumiwa kwa ajili ya mchochota wa vitambaa. Ikiwa unaamini kwamba wewe au mtu yeyote katika familia yako anaweza kuwa na minyoo, wasiliana na daktari wa dawa wa jamii yako kwa matibabu na ushauri juu ya jinsi ya kuzuia maambukizi ya mara kwa mara. Ikiwa umekuwa ukisafiri kwenda nchi nyingine, na unashuku maambukizi ya minyoo, au umekuwa ukijisikia uchovu au unateseka kutokana na kuhara, unaweza kuwa umepatikana na vimelea vingine vyenye hatari zaidi ambavyo vitahitaji matibabu mbadala ili kuondoa maambukizo. Daktari wako wa dawa wa jamii anaweza kukupa ushauri unaohitaji ili kushughulikia hili.