CHILDRENSHEALTH-TheGaia-Movement.docVIP

Worms: a common problem Do you have to de-worm your children ? The answer is yes, particularly in Africa, where the climate is warm and moist, providing ideal conditions for parasitic worms. These are easily picked up by children (and adults), in the best of homes! What type of worms are there? The most common type is the Large Roundworm, scientific name, Ascaris lumbricoides . This worm loves warm, moist climates, and is almost universal in children aged between one and five years in Africa. This worm lives in garden soil and children pick up the eggs when they are playing. When their dusty fingers inevitably get into their mouth, the egg is transported into the stomach. Eggs can also be swallowed by eating unwashed salads or vegetables grown in contaminated soil. The eggs hatch in the small intestine, and cross the gut wall into the blood vessels, from where they are transported into the lungs. From here the larvae enter the airways and are swallowed, getting into the stomach. Once in the stomach they are passed into the rest of the gut, where they mature into adult worms, which in turn lay eggs. These are passed in the childs stool and so the cycle of infection continues. Another common worm is the Pinworm (Enterobius vermicularis), which is particularly common in schools or in poorer areas where children sleep in overcrowded conditions. Pinworms are responsible for itching around the anal area. The rate of reinfection of pinworm disease is very high and it is important to follow strict hygiene measures to get rid of the worm eggs in the environment of the home or school. As adults can also become carriers, it is important to de-worm the whole family at the same time. Whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) and Hookworm (Ancylostoma duodenale or Nector americanus) are also relatively common in South Africa. Hookworm causes a characteristic itch on the skin where the larvae have penetrated, and can be responsible for anaemia in children, since the larvae attach to t