Pinworm infestations are common and easily treatable, says Dr. Carmen-Michaela Kretsu, a parasitologist at the Colentín Clinical Hospital.

But in order to eradicate it, the treatment must be carried out correctly and started at the same time by the patient and all people who came into contact with him. Many parents turn to natural solutions, fearing the possible toxic effect of allopathic therapy. However, a specialist doctor says that there is no question of poisoning if the medicine is taken on an empty stomach, and the child does not eat for several hours after taking it. In an interview with Totul Despre Mame, Dr. Carmen Kretsu talks about the signs that a child may have pinworms, the methods of diagnosing the infection and its proper treatment, pointing out several aspects:

All about moms: what are the specific symptoms in children with colic? Also name the symptoms that parents do not usually associate with this infection. Dr. Carmen-Michaela Kretsu: The child has colicative abdominal pains (ed. note: colicky, spasmodic in nature), generalized; discomfort in the periumbilical region (ed.: navel region) or in the region of the ascending colon. Feeling of discomfort, tension in the area of ​​the anus. A kindergarten child also has severe perianal itching (after midnight). Very often, nocturnal enuresis can also occur, that is, urinary incontinence at night, although until this moment the child did not have such a problem and there was sphincter control at night.

Can nocturnal enuresis be caused by pinworm infection?

Dr. Carmen-Michaela Kretsu: Often, once in society, a child begins to run away involuntarily. The explanation is that the female parasite goes to the peri-anus area at night and lays eggs in the peri-anus folds. These eggs, which are contained in a gelatinous sticky substance that causes itching and local discomfort, quickly become infective when exposed to oxygen. Small mobile larvae emerge from them, which either return to the digestive tract (retroinfection), or are carried by the child during the night, reaching the level of the oral cavity (autoinfection).

Sensations of itching, discomfort, and local tension at night mean that the child no longer controls the sphincter during sleep. Sometimes in girls, the parasite migrates to the vulva, which causes discomfort, accompanied by local hypersecretion, and even persistent vulvovaginitis with profuse discharge develops. And sometimes it migrates to this area, which causes discomfort. Sometimes a parasite is identified in this secret. The child has restless sleep, it becomes more and more difficult for him to cooperate. In addition, when the infection is more severe, it can even reduce intellectual performance.

READ MORE ALL ABOUT MAM