How to treat giardiasis in children. Symptoms, diagnostic measures and principles of therapy

Giardia is a unicellular protozoan that exists in two forms - vegetative (trophozoid) and cyst. The vegetative form is a flat, pear-shaped cell, with a rounded anterior end and a pointed posterior end. Giardia has 4 pairs of flagella, with the help of which it moves in space and a suction disk, with which it is attached to the wall of the duodenum. It is in this form that Giardia is active, feeding on carbohydrates, vitamins, and dairy products by absorbing them from the intestinal walls.

The trophozoid is capable of reproduction. They reproduce by division. Not a persistent form; it can remain in the external environment for 30-60 minutes. In less favorable conditions (large intestine, external environment) it takes the form of a cyst, in which it can remain for a long time (from 9 to 120 days). It is the cyst that is infectious.

Cysts die under the influence of high or low (-20-25°C) temperatures, ultraviolet irradiation and direct sunlight. Disinfecting water with chlorine does not lead to the death of Giardia cysts.

Causes of a child becoming infected with Giardia

Infection occurs through the fecal-oral or contact route from a sick person, animal, or carrier: with dirty hands, unboiled water, unprocessed food. Every day, a patient or carrier excretes up to 900 million Giardia in their feces; only 10-100 are enough for infection.

Symptoms of giardiasis in children

The incubation period of giardiasis lasts 1-4 weeks, there are no symptoms during this period, but giardia actively multiplies in the child’s body.

In the clinic of giardiasis, a distinction is made between giardiasis duodenitis (inflammation of the duodenum), giardiasis enteritis, a mixed form (duodenitis and enteritis) and asymptomatic carriage.

The course of giardiasis includes the following links: irritation and traumatization by lamblia of the intestinal mucosa (especially the duodenum), which leads to reflex inhibition of the motility of the gallbladder and bile ducts. In this case, dyskinesia develops.

The vital activity of Giardia inhibits the production of cholecystokinin and secretin, which also affects the functioning of the gallbladder.

The normal intestinal microflora is disrupted and dysbacteriosis develops. In the affected areas of the intestinal mucosa, cellular biochemistry changes, as a result of which the absorption and metabolism of proteins, fats, carbohydrates is disrupted, and malabsorption syndrome develops.

Enzyme deficiency worsens, the metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates is disrupted. Mechanical damage to intestinal tissue leads to atrophy of the mucous membranes, the formation of microabcesses and microerosions.

The immune system is depleted due to a decrease in the production of secretory immunoglobulins.

The accumulation of toxic waste products of protozoa causes persistent allergization of the body. Therefore, a long stay of Giardia in a child’s body with reduced immunity leads to the development of chronic endogenous intoxication syndrome, which, in turn, leads to disorders in all organs and systems of the body.

The acute form of giardiasis is typical for young children and occurs as acute enteritis against a background of normal or elevated temperature. The duration of the acute period is up to 7 days.

Giardia multiplies in the child's small intestine, causing irritation of the mucous membrane. With duodenitis, the child notices pain in the tummy (mainly in its upper part), belching, and nausea. Diarrhea always occurs with a mixed form of the disease; with duodenitis, it may not be observed. Enteritis is characterized by discomfort in the abdomen (nausea, rumbling, bloating), stool upset (smelly, colorless, foamy stool).

The chronic course of giardiasis can lead to malabsorption syndrome and secondary fermentopathy.

Intoxication syndrome is characteristic: children complain of headaches, irritability and tearfulness, and fatigue. External intestinal manifestations - shortness of breath, a feeling of palpitations and pain in the heart area, the presence of skin rashes.

With chronic giardiasis, children are bothered by sleep disturbances, general weakness, fatigue, irritability, and appetite disturbances. Parents often turn to a pediatric neurologist about the occurrence of tics and hyperkinesis (involuntary twitching of the muscles of the face, neck, and torso). The skin of the face is pale (“marbled”), while the skin of the neck, abdomen, and axillary folds has a yellowish tint, characteristic “goose bumps” (follicular punctate keratosis) on the extensor surfaces of the arms and legs, and the abdomen. The tongue is coated. The red border of the lips is affected to varying degrees - from mild peeling and dryness to pronounced cheilitis.

Long-term allergization of the body leads to the development of atopic dermatitis. Possible joint damage. The occurrence of arrhythmia is characteristic of the heart.

As the process becomes chronic, the intestinal microbial background also changes, which leads to unstable stools and alternating constipation and diarrhea. These children have reduced body weight and may lag behind in physical development. The immune system is depleted due to decreased production of secretory immunoglobulins. A palpation examination of the child reveals an enlarged liver, its moderate pain and density.
A general blood test reveals leukocytosis, eosinophilia, lymphocytosis, increased ESR, and anemia.

Examination of a child for giardiasis

The diagnosis of giardiasis is based on the detection of Giardia cysts in stool during scatological examination. It is necessary to conduct at least three studies with an interval of 2-3 days. Duodenal intubation is also used, and duodenal contents are examined using microscopy. Specific antibodies in the blood are detected 3-4 weeks after infection and remain in it for 4-6 weeks after sanitation.

Treatment of giardiasis in children

Treatment of giardiasis is carried out in several stages. At the beginning of treatment, it is necessary to strengthen the child’s hygiene regime, limit dairy products and carbohydrates (it is recommended to eat dried fruits and vegetables, cereals).

To prevent re-infection, it is necessary to hygienically clean the entire room where the child is located, preferably using ultraviolet radiation, and frequently change underwear and bed linen.

To increase the body's defenses, natural remedies are prescribed - tincture of echinacea, eleutherococcus, ginseng root, multivitamins. To create an environment conducive to the destruction of Giardia cysts, herbal remedies are recommended: a decoction of birch buds for 2-3 weeks, then a break, and then a decoction of bearberry seeds for another 2 weeks.

Disorders of the intestinal microflora are corrected with probiotics (Linex, Hilak, Bifi-form, Laktovit). For enzymopathies, enzyme preparations are prescribed (Pancreatin, Mezim, Creon, Festal, Panzinorm).

After 3 weeks, treatment is monitored: depending on the environment for detecting Giardia, three stool tests or one duodenal intubation are performed

Prevention of giardiasis

Prevention of giardiasis consists of following the rules of personal hygiene, drinking only boiled or filtered water, timely identification and sanitization of infected children in organized groups, examination of children and personnel working with them at least 2 times a year, followed by sanitization of infected people and members of their families.

Treatment of giardiasis in children with medications and folk recipes.

What is giardiasis? How can you become infected with this disease? In this article we will talk about the peculiarities of the course of the disease in children and the treatment of childhood giardiasis with medications and with the help of traditional medicine.

Giardia in children: symptoms and signs

Kids grow up and explore the world: they put toys in their mouths, spend a lot of time on the floor, exploring the unknown space of the most dusty corners of a vast apartment, pick up fallen food from the floor, “communicate” with pets.

Statistics: more than 20% of children under 10 years of age on the planet are susceptible to giardiasis. Every fifth person in the world suffers from this disease.

Once in a favorable habitat, Giardia irritates the intestinal walls, promotes the inflammatory process and disrupts the physiological mechanism of digestion.

Statistics: children suffer from giardiasis much more often than adults.

Sources of infection

IMPORTANT: The main source of giardiasis are infected people. If there is at least one person in the family who is sick with giardiasis, then all family members, as a rule, are susceptible to this disease.

In the intestines, lamblia in sick people degenerates into cysts, becoming overgrown with a dense membrane. Cysts are excreted from the body through feces and can exist in the outside world for a long time.

IMPORTANT: Cysts enter a child’s body through failure to comply with hygiene rules.

Sources of infection can be:

dirty hands
tap water and polluted water bodies
unwashed vegetables, berries, fruits and herbs
shared toys in a children's group
children's sandboxes
bad habits: trying everything and putting it in your mouth, finger sucking
Pets
insufficient cleanliness of living quarters

How to detect Giardia in a child, video

Symptoms and signs of the disease

Giardia infection most often occurs asymptomatically. The infection itself goes away without a trace for some time. In some cases, giardiasis may occur when they settle in the small intestine and begin to aggressively affect the processes of digestion and absorption.

The main symptoms of giardiasis in children

lethargy and weight loss
prolonged diarrhea with an unpleasant and strong odor of stool that is difficult to wash off (indicating the presence of undigested fats)
temperature rise to 38 degrees
the occurrence of pain in the navel area
allergic manifestations in the form of an itchy rash on the skin
occasional nausea and vomiting

IMPORTANT: If the above signs of the disease appear, you should consult a doctor, since the symptoms of the disease are similar to acute food poisoning, which requires immediate medical attention.
If a child is suspected of being infected with Giardia, a scatological examination of stool is performed. This laboratory method is not reliable enough, since often the material provided for analysis is collected incorrectly, which makes it difficult to identify the disease.

If signs of the disease are obvious and the scatological examination is negative, the doctor may order additional postgraduate testing of the upper jejunum or duodenum.

The most accurate methods for diagnosing the disease are:

enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

duodenal biopsy

immunoelectrophoresis

Analysis for lamblia in a child

Fecal analysis

To ensure the reliability of the result, fresh feces are examined repeatedly: 3-4 times with an interval of 3 days. This examination gives almost 90% accuracy results.

Giardia in the blood

Now this method is not considered a reliable indicator of disease detection, therefore in Russia and a number of foreign countries this method is not currently recommended.

What tests should be taken if you suspect giardiasis, video

Giardia in the liver

In the last century, the medical world recognized that Giardia affected the bile ducts and gallbladder, which could cause serious liver problems. The method of duodenal intubation made it possible to detect Giardia in the biliary tract.

IMPORTANT: Currently, duodenal intubation is performed in children in exceptional cases, as this procedure is difficult and painful for children.

How to treat and remove lamblia from a child?

As a rule, complications rarely occur after giardiasis. However, it happens that giardiasis provokes an exacerbation of diseases such as: duodenitis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, cholangitis, intestinal obstruction. Giardiasis can lead to severe exhaustion and problems with the liver.

IMPORTANT: If a diagnosis is not made in time and adequate treatment for giardiasis is not started, this will seriously affect the development of the child’s body.

Giardiasis can be cured using a set of measures:

drug treatment with different groups of drugs

dietary food

Treatment of giardiasis in children with drugs

Complex drug treatment ensures the normal physiological course of the gastrointestinal tract and liver, eliminates pain and discomfort in the body.

Medicines and preparations for Giardia for children

The treatment regimen for giardiasis is determined by the attending physician depending on the age and weight of the child.

When treating giardiasis, the medicine is prescribed by the doctor depending on the age of the child.
The complex of medications for the treatment of giardiasis includes the following groups of drugs:

IMPORTANT: Treatment regimens and courses of medication for the treatment of giardiasis are prescribed and monitored by a doctor according to the age and weight of the child.

Herbal treatment - additional therapy for the treatment of giardiasis

Traditional treatment of giardiasis

IMPORTANT: It should be remembered that treatment with herbs and other folk methods is possible in consultation with a doctor. It is unacceptable to replace drug treatment with traditional medicine recipes.

Decoctions and infusions of herbs are an effective folk method in the treatment of giardiasis

Herbal medicine for giardiasis should be considered as a method that complements the main treatment.

Here are the most popular folk recipes for the treatment of giardiasis in children over 12 years of age.

Steam 2 tablespoons of the mixture with 500 ml of boiling water. After an hour, strain the infusion. Take 0.5 cup three times a day. After a week, reduce the dose of the collection to one tablespoon per half liter of boiling water. The infusion is taken for a month. After treatment, you should take a repeat stool test for the presence of Giardia.

Burnet decoction

Steam 2 tablespoons of burnet roots with two glasses of boiling water and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes (in a water bath). After an hour, the decoction can be taken. Divide the portion into four parts and drink during the day before meals.

Dandelion root decoction

Steam a tablespoon of dandelion roots with a glass of boiling water and cook in a water bath for 20 minutes. A portion of the decoction is designed for daily use in equal doses.

Decoction of aspen leaves and bark

Steam a tablespoon of a mixture of aspen leaves and bark with a glass of boiling water and cook in a water bath at low simmer for 20 minutes. Take a tablespoon before each meal.

Fresh plantain leaves with honey

Collect plantain leaves during flowering and grind in a blender to a paste. Mix with honey in equal proportions. Take a teaspoon before each meal for a month.

Grind 100 raw pumpkin seeds and add 25 ml of water and honey. Use the mixture in small portions within an hour. Then drink a laxative and cleanse the intestines with an enema.

Diet for lamblia in children

IMPORTANT: For a successful and quick recovery, drug treatment should be used in combination with diet.

sweet pastries
sweet carbonated drinks
sweets
canned food
fried, fatty and smoked foods
cereals (except buckwheat, rice and corn)
pasta
whole milk
pates and sausages

Giardia cannot withstand an acidic environment, so nutritionists recommend consuming sour drinks, fruit drinks, juices, and compotes made from sour berries, fruits and vegetables. For giardiasis, the following foods should be included in the diet:

fermented milk foods: kefir, yogurt, yogurt, cottage cheese
lean fish
lean meat
vegetables that do not irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines
fruits and berries: citrus fruits, apples, kiwi, strawberries, black currants, gooseberries, cherries, cranberries

To prepare food, you should use the following cooking methods: boiling in water and steaming, stewing, baking.

Daily consumption of medicinal mineral water is encouraged (Essentuki No. 4)

Following a diet when you are ill is not difficult, since there are no particularly strict restrictions on it.

Prevention of children from Giardia infection

Giardiasis is a common childhood disease. Treating a disease is always more difficult than preventing it. At the end of the article we will share tips on how to avoid giardiasis.

Wean your baby from putting everything in his mouth: sucking fingers, putting dirty objects and toys in his mouth, biting his nails
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap after walking and every meal.
Do not drink tap water
Wash vegetables, berries, fruits and herbs before eating

Giardia in children: Komarovsky, video

Routes of infection

To protect a child from infection, it is necessary to study all possible routes of infection. So, there are three main methods of infection:

Important! Pay close attention to what your child eats and what he does during independent play. Prevent infection routes by explaining their dangers and consequences.
The symptoms of giardiasis in children do not differ from the signs that appear in adults. Therefore, parents should take a closer look not only at the child’s behavior and appearance, but also at themselves in particular.

Signs of Giardia in children

The main signs of the presence of Giardia in children include:

Low-grade body temperature – it does not exceed 37.5 degrees and can rise before bedtime every day for two weeks. At the same time, the baby does not complain of a sore throat, he does not have a cough or runny nose.

Problems with the gastrointestinal tract - the baby’s parents are concerned about digestive disorders, which are manifested by alternating constipation and diarrhea. At the same time, adults cannot determine what causes food problems and what foods cause diarrhea or constipation. Such disturbances within a few days can lead to dysbiosis, the treatment of which will take a long time.

Giardia often settles in the liver, passing into the organ through natural blood circulation. Such an infection leads to several distinctive symptoms, which include:

The child’s tongue becomes “coated” - plaque appears in the oral cavity. There may not be a plaque - instead, characteristic ulcers or acne appear.

The baby often vomits, and bile is often present in the vomit.

When the liver is damaged, the organ enlarges, which is manifested by the same pain in the abdomen and in the right hypochondrium. A characteristic enlargement of the liver or spleen (which also increases due to damage to internal organs) is determined by palpation.

Donation of feces

In this case, stool collection should take place in the following sequence:

The collected biomaterial, which has just been removed from the body of an infected child, is placed in a sterile jar.

The resulting material must be delivered to the clinic within 20 minutes, which is not always possible.

Maximum - laboratory assistants conduct a standard study if 2 hours have not passed after collecting the material, as indicated on the jar (indicate the time of collection of the biomaterial).

How to donate blood

Blood is donated in the morning on an empty stomach. The child should not be given food, sweets or other goodies. The most a child can drink in the morning is water. In “critical” situations, it is allowed to drink tea without sugar, milk and other food additives.

It should also be noted that before taking the test, it is forbidden to eat food 10 hours before.

How then to identify lamblia in a child? During the examination, specialists are guided by complex data. This takes into account urine and blood tests, symptoms and changes in the child’s behavior, palpation of the abdomen and the child’s complaints of pain during such an examination.

Important! For greater reliability, analyzes are carried out several times with a difference of 2-3 weeks, often within a month. During the specified time intervals, the child undergoes prescribed treatment, compiled by a specialist so as not to harm the baby’s health.

How to cure a disease in a child

After determining the infection, the question quite reasonably arises of how to remove Giardia. After all, this also poses difficulties. Unlike ordinary helminthiases, this treatment must include certain stages.

Preparatory stage - diet

Before removing Giardia from a child, he must be put on a diet that prohibits fatty and spicy dishes and foods, sweets, and large amounts of flour. The baby needs a complete balanced diet with plenty of cereal porridges and water. You can give fruits and vegetables in small quantities, but only those that do not cause bloating in the child.
It is important to restore the intestinal microflora during the diet, so whole milk, cabbage or boiled rice are prohibited here. During the treatment process, it is necessary to drink medicinal mineral water, which is purchased in pharmacies. It can be replaced by a special solution taken by children during periods of severe poisoning.

The presented diet is followed for two weeks.

Drug treatment

Effective means include:

Metronidazole is a drug approved for the treatment of children over 2 years of age. It is taken for 5 days with a daily dose of 0.4 g, which is divided into three doses.

Albendazole - dosage is calculated as 0.015 g per 1 kg of child weight. The duration of treatment is also 5 days. The drug is approved for use by children of all ages.

Furazolidone - taken after meals 4 times a day for a week. The daily dosage is calculated as 0.01 g per 1 kg of weight.

Flamin is approved for all children; the drug is taken one hour before meals. The duration of treatment is 10 days. The daily dosage of half a tablet is divided into 3 doses.

The listed drugs have many side effects, therefore, if the child experiences a deterioration, you should immediately stop using the drug and consult a doctor again for a different treatment regimen.

Recovery stage

After a course of drug treatment has been applied, the recovery stage begins within two weeks. The use of some medications may be extended depending on the baby's health condition. The following drugs are used here:

Treatment with folk remedies

It is necessary to indicate several methods of treating giardiasis using traditional methods, which are used only after consultation with a doctor. Effective recipes include the following options.

Cucumber infusion

Use slightly overripe cucumbers, which contain a large number of seeds. Two hundred grams of cucumbers are poured with boiling water in a saucepan and covered with a lid. Cover the pan with a towel and leave to steep for two hours. After the infusion has cooled, put the pan in the refrigerator. Let the baby drink the infusion throughout the day. The daily dosage is at least half a liter.
Dandelion roots can be purchased at the pharmacy or prepared independently. The plant must be washed, dried and crushed. Pour a liter of boiling water over 3 tablespoons of roots and leave to simmer over low heat for a quarter of an hour. The broth is filtered and given to the child to drink at the rate of one teaspoon per 10 kg of the child’s weight. Take at least twice a day for 10 days.
Take the herb, rinse, dry and grind it. Pour a tablespoon of the mixture into a thermos and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. Let the infusion stand for two hours and strain before use. The medicine is given to the baby in the amount of 1 tablespoon before each meal.

The above methods may be dangerous for children. Often an allergy simply develops to them. Therefore, you should use the chosen recipe carefully - after the first use, monitor the baby’s condition. If you notice any abnormalities in him, stop treatment immediately.

Komarovsky: treatment of giardiasis

Disease prevention

Prevention of Giardia infection is carried out in compliance with the following rules:

It is necessary to monitor the condition of the food and products consumed by the child and all family members. Be sure to wash fruits and vegetables with special cleaning products that remove all dirt, including harmful microorganisms.

Do not let your baby drink plain tap water. It must be filtered or boiled.

Monitor your child's personal hygiene. Teach him to wash his hands before eating and every time after going outside or visiting public places.

Wean your child off bad habits. The child should not suck thumbs or bite nails or objects.

Do not bathe your baby or bathe yourself in bodies of water with questionable water conditions.

To prevent infection in your child, be sure to get tested yourself. Under no circumstances allow your child to have close contact with the animal, and after playing, go wash your hands. If you have a pet, wash floors more often using special detergents.

Giardia in children is common and poses a serious problem. The term “giardiasis” refers to protozoal invasion, which occurs in the body mainly with damage to the structures of the small intestine. The disease varies from subclinical forms to severe types of the disease, when Giardia affects not only the intestines, but also the liver tissue.

That is why the international classification uses a different name - giardiasis.

The disease is widespread across all continents. The highest degree of infestation occurs in organized children's groups - over 35%. Giardia in a child and an adult can occur equally often.

Depending on what phenomena and signs form the clinical picture, the following forms of giardiasis in adult patients are distinguished:

intestinal;
hepatobiliary;
pancreatic;
asthenoneurotic nature;
allergic;
anemic;
mixed.

Depending on the presence of abnormal manifestations, these types of diseases are distinguished.

Pathology without clinical symptoms is latent.
Pathology with clinical symptoms is manifest.

In 25%, only Giardia carriage is observed. In this case, there is no pathological process as such. In 50% of cases, subclinical forms of the disease are recorded. The remaining 25% is allocated to the manifest type of the disease.

As is the case with the “adult” classification, all forms of the disease are divided into two categories.

Giardiasis carriage (complete absence of symptoms, but a person actively spreads the pathogen into the environment).
A disease with pronounced symptoms (there are also intestinal and liver types of the disease).

From the point of view of the symptomatic picture and the nature of the course of the disease, the following types of giardiasis are distinguished:

painful;
dyspeptic;
allergic;
dermatological;
neurotic with asthenic syndrome;
intoxication;
mixed.

Giardia - special microorganisms

Giardia are single-celled life forms. Their body is symmetrical, rounded on one side and pointed on the opposite. Giardia has 4 flagella, through which they move in the body. Single-celled microorganisms can also attach to any surface using a suction disc. Giardia is in constant motion. The fixation process is a forced measure that they rarely resort to.

More about the development cycle

The causative agents of giardiasis can live almost everywhere - in water, in the ground, even in the air. The main intestinalis is the human gastrointestinal tract.

It is enough to swallow a dozen Giardia and at the same time have a low level of acidity of gastric juice to become infected with Giardiasis.

Main routes of infection:

water;
contact and household;
food.

Many parents not only do not know how to treat Giardia in children, but do not even think about how relevant medical intervention is in this situation. It is important to understand the essence of the pathogenic effect of Giardia on the body.

Here are the main influencing factors.

Giardia in children provokes different symptoms. In many ways, the appearance of certain symptoms depends on the circumstances: the mass nature of the invasive process, the form of pathology, the individual characteristics of the patient, age, the basic properties of the immune system, the presence of concomitant pathologies of the digestive tract.

General symptoms

General symptoms indicating the presence of active Giardia in the body:

intense paroxysmal abdominal pain;
nausea;
gagging;
lack of appetite;
bloating;
abnormally large amounts of intestinal gas.

In the youngest patients, the clinical picture can be very different. Giardiasis in children causes more unpleasant symptoms, and treatment should begin as early as possible.

The main clinical signs are:

severe pain syndrome;
total dysbacteriosis, which cannot be cured with “standard” methods”;
chronic loose stools, often “foamy” in nature;
complete loss of appetite;
exhaustion;
a sharp decline in cognitive qualities;
irritability;
daytime sleep may be completely absent, and night rest is interrupted by constant whims;
headache;
dizziness.

Over time, a variety of allergic skin rashes may occur. The patient is susceptible to any form of hypersensitivity: from minor urticaria to chronic rhinitis, accompanied by total swelling of the airways.

Nonspecific symptoms, an often blurred clinical picture, many cases of asymptomatic disease, as well as banal carriage of the disease, cause quite a lot of problems in the modern diagnosis of giardiasis. Sometimes the appearance of certain symptoms is incorrectly interpreted by diagnosticians.

As a result, children and adult patients can receive treatment from other specialists. Pulmonologists, dermatologists, allergists, neurologists or gastroenterologists will try to eliminate a completely different problem that is relevant at this particular moment.

To finally confirm the diagnosis of “giardiasis,” a procedure is carried out to determine antigens in feces (PCR technology). The ELISA procedure in blood serum is also relevant. In some cases, they resort to studying biopsy material obtained during endoscopic examination.

Treatment of giardiasis using traditional methods

Diet

The patient is prescribed an optimal diet. The goal is to create the most unfavorable conditions in the digestive tract, preventing the activity of Giardia. The basis of the diet is porridge, bran, fresh vegetables, fruits, berries, vegetable oil. You should avoid foods rich in carbohydrates. At least for the duration of active treatment.

This “format” of influence on the body is possible only in the case of interaction with adult patients or older children.

Treatment usually consists of two courses. At the final stage, where the patient’s body must begin to actively recover, drugs of choice are prescribed from categories such as multivitamin complexes, enterosorbents, enzymes, plant-derived adaptogens, immunostimulants, and phytotherapeutic agents.

Folk remedies for lamblia

Traditional methods cannot replace drug treatment from a competent doctor, but can be used as auxiliary methods.

Fresh plantain leaves are ground into a paste and mixed with an equal amount of honey. The composition is taken 1 tablespoon three times a day immediately before meals.
Add 1 crushed clove of garlic to milk (200 ml) and drink.
1 tablespoon of bearberry leaves is poured with boiling water (200 ml). The infusion is left for 30 minutes. During the day, the patient must drink the entire glass.

100 grams of pumpkin seeds should be ground until smooth. About 25-35 grams of fresh linden honey are added to the resulting flour. In order for the mixture to acquire the desired consistency, add a little water (no more than 40 ml).

Mix everything thoroughly. The child is given the mixture on an empty stomach. He must eat everything. Then a cleansing enema is performed. It is advisable to carry out the procedure several times with an interval of 2-3 days.

Forecast and prevention of giardiasis in adults and children

The effectiveness of giardiasis therapy depends on the stage and form of the disease, as well as when you consulted a doctor for help and how accurately you followed all the specialist’s recommendations. Relapses can occur at any stage of life in all patients. No one has any specific immunity or protection.

Thus, Giardia in children and adults is a truly serious disease that requires quick and competent treatment. At the same time, doctors do not recommend relying on folk recipes, but advise seeking qualified help at the first sign. This will prevent the development of complications.

How to properly treat giardiasis in children, and how to diagnose the disease in a timely manner will be discussed in this article.

What is giardiasis

Giardia is small in size (approximately 18 microns) and can exist in trophosiod (vegetative stage) and cysts.

You need to know that cysts, unlike Giardia themselves, are less mobile, but this quality does not prevent them from having high viability. They are quite resistant to any changes in temperature, that is, they are not afraid of either heat or cold.

On products such as vegetables, their life cycle reaches a couple of hours, however, if these products contain a lot of liquid, then Giardia can live from 1 to a couple of days.

How does infection occur?

The greatest likelihood of becoming infected with Giardia occurs between the ages of 1 and 5 years (it is approximately 40%). However, the older the child gets, the less likely this probability decreases.

It is known that a baby can become infected with giardiasis as early as 3 months of age. At the same time, boys get sick 2-3 times more often than girls. Experts explain this phenomenon by the improved level of parietal digestion in children.

Manifesting symptoms

Giardiasis may not always appear from the first days of illness. There are cases when its symptoms were very similar to the symptoms of other ailments, which led to the wrong method of treating the baby. Every parent needs to know what signs can characterize the manifestation of giardiasis. If a child has 2 or more of the listed signs, it is imperative to seek emergency medical help.

The following signs may indicate that a child is infected with Giardia:

Increased body temperature of the child (doctors call it subfebrial, since it does not exceed 37.5 degrees). This temperature can be observed in the evening and last from several days to a couple of weeks. This symptom is the first signal to go for a consultation with a therapist.
The baby is undergoing the digestive process. In this case, the child may experience constipation or diarrhea. In this case, it is necessary to make sure that the baby does not suffer from intestinal dysbiosis, because quite often such symptoms indicate precisely this disease.
The child grinds his teeth while sleeping. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that as soon as Giardia enters the body, it instantly affects its central nervous system, which causes a disruption in its functioning to some extent. One of these signs is teeth grinding.
Reduced child activity. When infected with giardiasis, the child’s activity decreases significantly. He quickly gets tired of walking in the fresh air, becomes more distracted and inattentive, constantly wants to sleep and can often be capricious.
Pain in the lower abdomen (most often it is of a pulling nature). When giardiasis occurs, abdominal pain manifests itself in the right hypochondrium or around the navel. Therefore, if a child can show the place where he hurts the most, then you need to ask him to do this, as this will greatly facilitate the diagnosis.
Manifestation of attacks (suffocation).
Increase in size of the liver and heart.
Enlarged lymph nodes for no known reason.
The number of eosinophils in the baby’s blood will noticeably increase.

Types of Giardia and forms of Giardiasis in children

Giardia by its nature is usually divided into several types. These include:

Most often, cysts penetrate through the colon and are excreted along with feces. Depending on the temperature conditions outside the child’s body, cysts can exist from 3 to 40 days.

The forms of giardiasis can be of the following nature:

Acute course
Chronic course

The acute form of the disease is in most cases diagnosed in a child under 3 years of age. In this case, the baby experiences a sharp increase in body temperature, digestive system upset and diarrhea.

A skin rash may also appear that closely resembles measles or rubella. Symptoms are also complemented by profuse vomiting, sharp nagging pain in the right hypochondrium and navel. The sooner the child receives medical assistance, the faster the recovery process will occur.

If the baby is not given any treatment for obvious symptoms, then this situation is fraught with the transformation of the acute form of the disease into the chronic stage of its course.

Chronic giardiasis is very dangerous, since it causes complete intoxication of the entire child’s body, as a result of which every internal organ suffers: they become more frequent and abundant, the functioning of the intestines slows down greatly, resulting in constipation.

The nervous and cardiovascular systems suffer the most in this situation.

The longer the patient does not receive proper treatment, the more complications will appear after the therapy.

Existing danger to the baby

Diagnosis of giardiasis in children

Giardiasis is one of the diseases that is not only difficult to diagnose, but also difficult to treat. If the manifested symptoms of the disease are ignored, this can lead to serious consequences for children’s health. It is for this reason that experts recommend not to hesitate in cases of nonspecific symptoms and to immediately seek advice from a therapist. After all, if you diagnose the disease in the primary stages, the recovery process of treatment will be faster and easier, and many complications and negative consequences will be avoided.

If necessary, a specialist can prescribe additional laboratory tests of blood and blood, which will allow a more complete picture of the disease to be drawn and initiation of drug treatment.

Competent solution to the problem

Treatment of giardiasis, like any other disease, is best done under the strict supervision of a specialist. At the same time, it is important to know that therapy will be complex and, in turn, must necessarily consist of several stages.

The first stage is preparatory. It can last for several weeks. It consists in giving the sick baby only boiled vegetables, buckwheat and wheat porridge, baked apples and bran throughout this entire period of time. The effectiveness of this method of nutrition will be much higher than simply giving the child mineral water to drink. For older children, tubing is recommended; it helps reduce cholestasis and restore the functioning of the digestive system.

There is a high probability that the child’s condition will worsen 3-5 days after taking these medications. He will become lethargic and his digestive system will malfunction. Under no circumstances should you stop treatment! Such a reaction indicates that the drugs are working!

Under their influence, Giardia is destroyed, and its remains enter the blood, which is why similar symptoms appear. To improve your health, your doctor may prescribe laxatives or antihistamines. Already on 8-10 days the baby will feel significant relief.