Giardia in the feces of a child and their treatment. How to cure Giardia in a child: methods of infection with parasites, diagnosis of the disease and competent treatment

Giardia are very small, but can harm a person

In the external environment, Giardia cysts show a very high resistance. At a temperature of +18 °C, they remain viable for more than 40 days. At higher temperatures - a week. In a cold environment, when the temperature is below 0 ° C, they die after 3-4 days.

Giardia is most commonly found in the intestines.

There are 3 main ways of getting giardiasis:

Giardiasis occurs in 2 forms:

Acute - develops in babies, as well as in older children, when the immune system is weakened. The disease is accompanied by pronounced symptoms. With proper treatment, it will be possible to get rid of the disease in 5-7 days.

Chronic - at this stage, there are no acute symptoms. But constant intoxication of the body provokes a significant deterioration in the general condition of the child.

Why are lamblia dangerous for a child?

Giardia cause serious harm to the health of the child

In addition to the absorption of nutrients, in the process of life Giardia constantly release toxins. This leads to suppression of the immune system and the development of a large number of chronic diseases. The fragile body in infants is especially affected.

Symptoms of children's giardiasis

The insidiousness of giardiasis is that its symptoms are easily confused with signs of other diseases. It is especially difficult to recognize the disease in children who find it difficult to accurately describe their condition.

The acute and chronic stages of the disease manifest themselves in different ways. Consider the features of the symptoms of the course of the disease in children:

Symptoms of the acute form, which develops with a weakened immune system or the simultaneous penetration of a large number of giardia cysts into the body:

loss of appetite;
sharp weight loss;
nausea and vomiting;
severe diarrhea;
fever, often up to 38 °, but in some cases up to 39 °, it lasts up to 10 days, without being accompanied by other symptoms of a cold;
bloating;
fever;
choking cough;
stomach ache;
pale skin;
allergies - rashes appear that look like hives;
bruxism - teeth grinding during sleep;
weakness and irritability;
excessive capriciousness.

Excessive capriciousness is a symptom of Giardia infection

Symptoms of the chronic form of the disease:

constant problems with digestion - diarrhea alternates with constipation;
dysbacteriosis;
avitaminosis;
weight loss, in advanced cases comes to anorexia;
frequent headaches;
malaise;
irritability and moodiness;
emotional instability;
a yellow coating forms on the tongue;
flatulence;
dermatitis.

When such symptoms appear, the possibility of infection with Giardia should be excluded. It is especially important to do this when the baby's health periodically deteriorates without objective reasons.

Tests for Giardia in a child - how to pass?

The following tests will help determine Giardia:

Blood on Giardia is taken from a vein. The analysis should be done on an empty stomach in the morning, before breakfast. A child of any age can donate blood for research.

Coprological analysis- detection of cysts in the stool. To carry it out, you need to select a little stool from the child in a sterile jar in the morning. In 3-4 hours, it is desirable to deliver them to the laboratory, where specialists will study the material under a microscope.

The accuracy of the analysis is 60–70%. The reason for this is that even in the presence of Giardia, their cysts do not always end up in the feces. To obtain an objective result, the analysis should be repeated 4–5 times, observing a weekly interval.

Duodenal analysis- involves the study of bile for the presence of cysts. Guarantees high accuracy, but is prescribed only for children over 10 years old. The procedure for sampling bile by probing at an earlier age is not carried out.

How to treat Giardia in children

A well-chosen course of treatment will help get rid of Giardia. The treatment regimen for giardiasis in children provides for a phased therapy, designed for 3 stages:

Polysorb enterosorbent is well suited for cleansing the body.

Pharmacological preparations, as well as folk recipes, will help to cure Giardia. Consider the features of the reception of different means.

Medical preparations

Tablets and suspensions intended for the treatment of giardiasis in children:

Nemozol- available in the form of tablets or suspensions. Contains Albendazole. An approximate dose is 10 mg of the drug per 1 kg of body weight for 5-7 days. Side effects may include fever, nausea, and weakness. Contraindications - liver disease, problems with the retina, intolerance to the components. Price - from 180 rubles.
- antimicrobial tablets containing Nifuratel. Assigned for 7-10 days to children only older than 2 years. The daily dose should not exceed 0.4 g, it is calculated as follows - for 1 kg of weight 0.15 g of the drug. Tablets are drunk twice a day only after meals. Contraindications - hypersensitivity, neurological disorders, kidney disease. Side effects are rarely diagnosed. Nausea, dizziness, weakness are possible. Price - from 860 rubles.

Flamin - 30 tablets

Read more about tablets for worms in children.

Folk remedies

For the treatment of children from giardiasis, you can use folk remedies. They are prepared on the basis of natural ingredients, therefore they are more harmless than pharmacological drugs. Consider effective recipes:

horseradish tincture- Cut 2-3 horseradish roots into small pieces and place in a liter jar. Pour the crushed root with cold boiled water, cover tightly with a lid. When the composition is infused for 3 days at room temperature, it should be filtered and mixed with honey in equal proportions. Keep for 3 more days.

Babies up to a year old take 0.5 teaspoon, children under 10 years old - 1 dessert spoon, starting from 11 years old - a tablespoon. Drink 20 minutes before meals three times a day for 10 days. A week later, repeat the course of treatment.

Cucumber tincture- chop 200 g of ripe cucumbers that already have seeds. Place in an enameled container and pour boiling water. The remedy should be infused for 2 hours. Then it is filtered and stored in the refrigerator. During the day, the child should drink 0.5 liters of infusion, using it throughout the day.
- grind 100 g of peeled seeds in a mortar, add 25 g of honey and water each. Give the resulting mixture to the child in the morning on an empty stomach in small portions. He must eat everything in an hour.

For the preparation of folk recipes, shoots, leaves and aspen bark, dandelion root, mint, birch buds, celandine, centaury and other plants are still used. Before using a folk recipe, make sure that the child is not allergic to the ingredients.

Safe treatment always takes place under the supervision of a doctor. Giardiasis is a serious disease, so self-medication is contraindicated.

Diet for giardiasis

The basis of the child's diet should be cereals, dried fruits, bran, vegetable oils. Fruits can be given in a baked form. From drinks it is worth giving preference to sour juices, kefir. For the duration of the diet, children should not be given fatty and fried foods, even in small quantities.

Dietary nutrition will speed up the healing process. It should be followed throughout all stages of treatment: from preparatory to restorative.

What does Dr. Komarovsky say?

An interesting point of view on the question of whether giardiasis is so terrible is expressed by Dr. Evgeny Komarovsky. He hurries to reassure his parents and claims that you should first make sure that the disease is present, and then proceed to treatment, avoiding toxic drugs. More details of his recommendations are presented in the video.

Disease prevention

To minimize the risk of developing giardiasis in children, parents should monitor compliance with preventive measures:

Compliance with these rules reduces the risk of Giardia infection by 60%.

Wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly before giving them to your child.

Hundreds of thousands of microorganisms have been identified in the world, and only some of them are capable of causing significant harm to a child's body. Since children are especially active, mobile and learn about the world, they are most often exposed to contact with the environment. At the same time, they do not have clear knowledge of how to observe personal hygiene. From this article you will learn everything about giardiasis, what are the symptoms and treatment of this disease, how to identify the signs of pathology and what are the causes of the development of the disease.

What is giardiasis

You should learn everything about Giardia in order to know your enemy in person. This microorganism is able to live in two forms:

mobile living individual;
immobile cyst.

Live Giardia (photo can be seen below) has the shape of a pear. It has 4 pairs of flagella, thanks to which it moves, and a special disk, with which it is fixed on the intestinal mucosa. The size of Giardia is from 9-20 microns.

Since mobile Giardia live in the environment for only about half an hour, diagnosing the disease can be difficult. Although they are excreted along with the feces, they soon die and cannot be detected.

Cystolamblia are able to stay in the environment for a long time, outside the body of a person or animal. This form of life is formed when a microorganism is exposed to unfavorable conditions in which an ordinary mobile individual does not live.

You can destroy Giardia of all forms in the following way:

after 10 minutes of boiling;
exposure to temperatures from -20 to -25 degrees.

The microorganism is well tolerated by any household disinfectants. However, for lamblia, the sun's rays, ultraviolet and quartz are detrimental.

You can get Giardia by mouth as follows:

Note! It is rare, but possible, that infection will occur through the mother's breast milk.

The source of Giardia can be earth and dust, which contains particles of animal excrement, contaminated water, and fruits and vegetables growing close to the ground.

The mechanism of the development of the disease

Giardia in children adversely affect their well-being and health. It is believed that infection will begin if 10 or more individuals have entered the body at a time.

Note! A child suffering from Giardia has an increased risk of developing bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis and chronic bronchitis.

Identifying Giardia in a child can be extremely difficult. Symptoms can resemble many different pathologies. Many doctors prescribe treatment for other diseases, but the clinical picture persists, as the true cause does not disappear.

Clinical picture of the disease

A good doctor should determine the symptoms and treatment of Giardia in children, since there is always a risk of misdiagnosis. Signs of giardiasis in children are usually pronounced. If, during the initial infection, a lot of cysts got into the body of the crumbs at once, the development of the disease will be rapid, and the course will be acute.

The main symptoms of lamblia in children are as follows:

prolonged diarrhea;
sticky stool;
fetid odor of feces;
prolonged nausea and vomiting;
weight loss;
fever;
rapid rise in temperature;
pink rash accompanied by itching;
dry allergic cough.

In severe cases, in a child with giardiasis, the skin turns pale. The tongue may become yellowish.

Giardia in the blood of a baby can lead to a decrease in the overall tone of life. The child becomes less active, lethargic, learning ability decreases. Children with such a diagnosis at school do not absorb information well, weakly concentrate attention.

Note! Giardiasis in children may be accompanied by pain localized around the navel.

If Giardia is localized in the liver, the baby may complain of pain in the right hypochondrium. When diagnosed, it may turn out that the lymph nodes, liver and spleen are enlarged.

Features of the disease in infancy

If Giardia appeared in a baby who was recently born, the symptoms may be as follows:

periodic increase in body temperature to 38 degrees;
severe watery diarrhea;
signs of dysbacteriosis;
giving up your favorite food.

At an early age, the development of giardiasis is especially dangerous, since the body lacks the necessary substances for the full development of the crumbs. Children can noticeably lag behind in development from their peers, be very capricious. Many parents noted causeless crying.

Features of the disease in children older than a year

Treatment of Giardia in children older than a year old can begin after the appearance of such symptoms:

fever;
allergic rash, as with hives;
shortness of breath, as after a run;
bruises under the eyes;
general weak appearance and well-being;
decreased physical activity.

If blood has not been donated for Giardia, the signs of the disease can be confused with the onset of bronchial asthma. Undoubtedly, any treatment in this case will be ineffective.

Features of the disease in adolescents

It is possible to determine whether Giardia lives in the human body in adolescence or not by the presence of such symptoms:

jumps in blood pressure;
motion sickness in transport;
the presence of vasomotor rhinitis;
dizziness;
spontaneous cramping pain in the abdomen.

Sometimes giardiasis with such a course is confused with appendicitis, gastroduodenitis and biliary dyskinesia.

Diagnostic measures

Several methods are used to diagnose giardiasis:

stool analysis;
analysis of the contents of the duodenum;
immunological analysis.

Important! In order for the diagnosis to be accurate, with a negative result, the study should be repeated after a while.

Cysts do not form constantly, this process takes place periodically. If the first test result is negative, the procedure should be repeated after a few days and then after a week.

The study of the secret from the duodenum is extremely rare. In our state, this is an expensive procedure and rarely used. The patient swallows a special capsule with reagents, it is fixed on a nylon thread, and then the data obtained is analyzed.

Taking a blood test without conducting a stool test may turn out to be uninformative. When a small amount of Giardia enters the body, the immune system copes with them on its own. At the same time, antibodies remain in the blood, which can be seen on the analysis. In this case, the body itself is no longer infected. A different picture is also possible: a person has just received an infection, cysts are present in the feces, but antibodies have not yet been developed in the blood.

Is therapy always required?

Opinion differs as to when to treat giardiasis. Some doctors believe that this is not necessary and the body will cope on its own, others conduct intensive therapy even if a small number of cysts are found in the feces.

Treatment of giardiasis in children is usually long-term. The most effective remedy can only be prescribed by the attending physician after the examination, so you should not self-medicate.

Most young patients tolerate both the disease itself and the treatment used well. However, stable immunity is not developed to the disease, so the risk of re-infection is quite high.

The treatment regimen for giardiasis includes several stages. It is noteworthy that therapy does not begin with the use of drugs.

To begin with, it is important to normalize the functioning of the digestive system. For this, enzyme preparations, sorbents (such as "Polysorb") can be prescribed to the child. It is extremely important at this stage to follow a diet for giardiasis.

The diet during treatment lasts 10-14 days and includes the following features:

refusal of fatty, fried foods;
elimination from the menu of whole milk, sweets;
refusal to bake;
the menu should be focused on the use of cereals;
you can eat dishes with vegetable oil;
lingonberries and cranberries have a beneficial effect.

After 2 weeks, you can start using drugs for Giardia. These can be such medicines:

skin rashes;
acne;
diarrhea;
intense pain in the abdomen.

The total duration of drug therapy is about a week. Means that have a choleretic effect can be prescribed, for example, "".

It will take about two more weeks to treat Giardia after this. This time is allotted for the use of enzymes, probiotics and immunomodulators. It is important to help the child's body fully recover from the disease.

In agreement with the attending physician, you can use folk remedies for Giardia. The following home remedies are used:

bergamot oil on a piece of sugar;
decoction of leaves and twigs of aspen;
tincture of cucumber seeds;
decoction of dandelion roots;
tincture of celandine.

Any therapy must be agreed with the attending physician.

Prevention

Prevention of giardiasis in children can be carried out with the help of walnuts. They can be consumed raw. It is important to do this regularly, at every meal. Prophylactic reception should last at least three days.

It is also important to observe the following measures:

always thoroughly wash vegetables and fruits before serving;
teach your child to wash their hands often with soap;
wean the baby from bad habits such as biting nails or other objects;
avoid close contact with pets, as they can carry infectious diseases

It is necessary to teach the child how to keep himself clean and explain why eating outside the home can lead to infection.

Compliance with all these rules will prevent infection with Giardia. If unpleasant symptoms appear, it is important to consult a doctor as soon as possible and take feces for analysis.

Watch the video:

The pathogen transmission mechanism is fecal-oral.

The baby becomes infected by drinking water or food containing Giardia cysts.

Clinical picture

In children, giardiasis is characterized by a very non-specific clinical picture. In addition, the symptoms of lamblia in children may be absent for a long time. Only after the development of complications or residual effects can signs of giardiasis appear in children.

All symptoms of giardiasis in children can be conditionally grouped into the following syndromes:

dyspeptic;
maldigestion and malabsorption;
allergic;
asthenoneurotic.

Dyspeptic syndrome is characterized by pain in the abdomen, mainly in the right hypochondrium or without a clear localization. Periodically there is nausea, vomiting. These symptoms of Giardia in children are in no way related to food intake and do not depend on the type of food consumed. Patients often complain of loose stools.

Giardiasis in children is always accompanied by an inflammatory process in the duodenum and small intestine, a violation of the outflow of bile and the functioning of the pancreas. These processes are the trigger mechanism for the development of maldigestion and malabsorption syndromes - a violation of the processes of digestion and absorption of food. As a result, a deficiency of essential nutrients is formed in the baby's body. Outwardly, the following signs of giardiasis develop in children:

poor appetite;
weight loss;
unmotivated fatigue;
decrease in performance.

Of the allergic symptoms of Giardia in children, urticaria and Quincke's edema are most common. Patients often get an appointment with an allergist, skipping giardiasis. Symptoms are regarded as a manifestation of an acute allergic reaction. The treatment regimen consists of antihistamines, in difficult cases, glucocorticoids are prescribed. The latter have an immunosuppressive effect, which favorably affects the growth and development of lamblia.

Astheno-neurotic syndrome is manifested by general weakness, unmotivated fatigue, memory loss, difficulty concentrating. The students are failing the curriculum. Another interesting symptom is hyperkinesis - obsessive movements that the patient cannot control. This can be twitching of the shoulders, rapid blinking, excessive facial expressions. Such manifestations are rarely regarded as symptoms of giardiasis in children, and parents often turn to a neurologist.

Diagnostics

The diagnostic algorithm for giardiasis in children consists of the following steps.

A detailed study of the clinical picture and the allocation of symptoms that indicate that the child has Giardia.
Study of medical history.
General blood and urine tests
Additional laboratory research.
Ultrasound diagnostics of the abdominal organs.
Fecal analysis.

During the survey, the moment of the appearance of the first symptoms of giardiasis in children, the sequence of their appearance, changes in the course of the disease (intensification, or disappearance of signs) are established. As far as possible, the circumstances preceding the disease are clarified. The patient's complaints are analyzed in detail. The nature of the pain, its connection with food intake, its type and method of processing are specified. They ask about the number of bowel movements, their color, smell, presence of diarrhea.

Additional laboratory research methods that help diagnose giardiasis in children include the determination of antibodies to giardia, the study of liver function, the level of total bilirubin in the blood and its fractions, the concentration of albumins and globulins.

Therefore, this diagnostic method only complements other methods.

Antibodies begin to be produced about three weeks after infection. For more accurate results, blood for this study must be taken twice. If the antibody titer increases in dynamics, the disease progresses. Accordingly, after treatment, it should decrease.

The definition of Giardia cysts in the feces of a child is the surest sign of the disease. To increase the effectiveness of the cal method, it is necessary to take it several times, three days in a row, with an interval of two weeks.

Treatment

First of all, you need to clearly understand that the treatment of giardiasis in children should be carried out only by a qualified specialist.

In no case should you start the treatment of lamblia yourself. This is due to the following factors:

treatment of Giardia in children is a rather serious task, after which control is mandatory;
the child's body is fundamentally different from the adult, respectively, the treatment in these two categories of patients cannot be the same;
if anyone prescribes treatment to remove Giardia in children, there is a high risk of an overdose of drugs that are not very harmless.

If Giardia is detected in a small patient, the treatment will consist of three stages - preparatory, elimination of the pathogen, and rehabilitation of the patient.

At the preparatory stage, the medical goal is to normalize the outflow of bile. Drugs are prescribed according to the results of ultrasound. If spasms of the gallbladder are observed, antispasmodics are prescribed. With congestion, choleretic agents and tonic physiotherapy are indicated.

At the stage of elimination of Giardia in children, treatment can be traditional, homeopathic or phytotherapeutic. Of the traditional drugs, metronidazole, ornidazole or their analogues are most often prescribed. The final choice should be made only by the doctor. Homeopaths use mercury, celandine, dandelion and other remedies to remove Giardia, which are selected strictly individually for each child. Herbal teas for the treatment of giardiasis consist of garlic, gentian root, peppermint, dill, clover. Garlic, pumpkin seeds and pulp, fig fruits are also used.

Lastly, the vitamin imbalance is corrected and the intestinal microflora is restored.

Finally

If you have any doubts about the health of your child, do not postpone a visit to the doctor. The specialist will tell you in detail what giardiasis is in children, why it is dangerous, and how to treat giardia in children. Timely treatment will have a positive effect on the health of the baby.

List of medicines for Giardia for the treatment of children

The medicine for Giardia for children is commercially available and allows you to treat the baby with minimal harm to the body. The presence of harmful microorganisms in the body of both an adult and a child can bring serious health problems, therefore, when the first signs of Giardia are detected, it is necessary to consult a specialist and treat Giardiasis. The pharmaceutical market is filled with a large number of drugs to rid a person of microorganisms, and is able to completely deprive him of this problem.

Tablets for the treatment of lamblia

Medicines for the treatment of Giardia are divided according to the constituent substance into the nitromidazole, nitrofuran or benzimidazole group.

The most common pills for Giardia:

Macmirror is one of the analogues of Tinidazole, has similar indications and contraindications, this also applies to children.
Tinidazole, it is forbidden to take it to children under 12 years old, and from the side effects - vomiting, allergic rashes, convulsions and drowsiness. Efficiency is about 80%.
Ornidazole - this drug is available in the form of tablets, its effectiveness is quite high, about 92%. In rare cases, side effects are possible in the form of dizziness, convulsions, drowsiness, nausea, allergic reactions (with prolonged and improper use of the drug). During pregnancy and lactation, it is forbidden to take it.
Nifuratel - experts advise these Giardia pills as the most effective remedy for several reasons: it is excreted only by the kidneys, without adversely affecting the liver, and gives (only 2% among patients) the presence of side effects. It destroys not only Giardia, but also possible intestinal bacteria - Salmonella, Helicobacter pylori and Candida, they often enter the human body together and cause a detrimental effect. In addition to the positive effects, this remedy is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women.
Albendazole is the most versatile medicine that can destroy not only adults of microorganisms, but also their eggs and larvae. It should not be taken by children under 6 years of age, pregnant women and women during lactation, there are also possible side effects in the form of nausea, vomiting, allergies, increased blood pressure and worsening of renal activity.

Indications for use and specifics of treatment

At the preparatory stage of the patient's treatment, the specialist uses enterosorbent preparations (Furazolidone, Hofitol), which remove not only toxins and related unnecessary substances secreted by Giardia from the body, but also improve the intestinal microflora, have a protective effect on the gastric mucosa. Treatment of Giardia in children is carried out with drugs - Smecta, Dioctite, Enterosgel, Neosmectin, Diosmectite.

The second stage involves the destruction of harmful microorganisms, so experts prescribe medications for all family members, including young children, who most often become carriers of Giardia by taking unwashed fruits, or after playing with an animal they did not wash their hands. Previously, a commonly used medicine for the treatment of Giardia in children, Metronidazole, experts do not advise taking, due to the development of resistance to microorganisms. Doctors often prescribe Macmirror and Furazolidone, which have an antiseptic effect, Hofitol, which improves liver function.

At the third stage, it is necessary to restore the microflora and the work of the gastrointestinal tract. Experts recommend, after the final death of Giardia and their larvae, to take complex vitamin preparations, because microorganisms actively deplete the body's reserves:

Stimbifid - contains a large amount of vitamin B, zinc, selenium. The course of treatment for giardiasis is about 1 month to fully compensate for the losses.
Bion 3 - in addition to B vitamins, rich in potassium, manganese, zinc, iodine and two types of lactobacilli, for better bowel activity.
After vitamin therapy, you need to take a course to restore immunity - use Likopid and Poliksidonium.

To avoid infection, it is necessary to follow the rules of hygiene - wash food and hands after contact with animals, boil drinking water.

Only a doctor can determine the presence of harmful microorganisms in the human body, self-medication can worsen the situation, because a person does not know what dosage to choose.

Symptoms for which the presence of lamblia in the body is suspected:

the most likely intestinal disorders, disorders in the gastrointestinal tract;
the presence of pain in the lower abdomen - sometimes aching, sometimes tingling;
frequent abdominal distension, neuropsychiatric disorders;
in rare cases - an allergic reaction, the occurrence of anemia, and sudden weight loss;
absent-mindedness, loss of concentration, constant weakness, then there is a decrease in working capacity, memory worsens and drowsiness appears.

To diagnose Giardia in children, several methods are used - intestinal biopsy, enterotes (the patient swallows a gelatin capsule with a nylon thread inside), immunological methods.

After a few weeks, this disease develops into a chronic stage, if timely treatment is not started.

It is necessary to adhere to a certain diet - limit carbohydrates (sweets and milk), eat more protein foods, fiber. The child needs to instill the rules of personal hygiene in order to protect his infection.

The scheme of treatment of giardiasis in a child

Protozoa enter the child's body in the form of cysts. In the people, giardiasis is called the disease of "unwashed hands", which is quite difficult to treat. The protozoa in the body quickly come out of their dormant state and begin to multiply, localizing in the internal organs, causing their functional disorder. Giardia also causes a significant decrease in immunity, a low percentage of absorption of nutrients, and the immunity of the child's body to vaccination.

Giardiasis is an insidious disease. Its symptoms are so similar to other intestinal infections that it is quite difficult to diagnose the disease without special tests. There are a number of cases of useless treatment of children with an unexplained diagnosis in the pulmonological, allergic, immunological department of clinics, at a time when their body was affected by protozoa - Giardia, says Irina Viktorovna Semina, head of the children's infectious diseases department of the Moscow Multidisciplinary Clinical and Diagnostic Center Trastmed, infectious disease specialist Irina Viktorovna Semina.

In children, the intestinal form of giardiasis develops with the ingestion of protozoa with poorly washed fruits and vegetables, but most often with dirty water. These are summer bathing in open reservoirs infected with infection, drunk water from the tap. Even modern water filters are not able to prevent infection from entering the child's body. Only boiling helps to purify water from protozoa.

Every decade - 10 days, there is a release of cysts from the child's body with feces. That is why it is so difficult to detect their presence in fecal feces the first time.

In some cases, self-rejection of the protozoa by the body may occur. But this is observed only in the case of a strong immune system of the child, able to heal itself, and an absolutely healthy gastrointestinal tract with an intact mucosa. Under other circumstances, Giardia can again go into a dormant state, form cysts, hiding in the internal organs, and do not show signs of life for many years. Only with the onset of favorable conditions, the disease can manifest itself.

Giardiasis in infancy

Over the past period, cases of diagnosing giardiasis of infancy have become more frequent. There are signs of giardiasis in breastfed babies:

tearfulness;
refusal to eat;
episodic temperature up to 38 ° C, or subfebrile, not falling for a long time;
severe diarrhea;
dysbacteriosis;
allergic reactions;
slowdown in physical development.

In this case, the entry of lamblia into the baby's body could only occur due to the negligence of the parents. In the event of the manifestation of the above symptoms, parents should urgently contact a pediatric infectious disease specialist. Independent measures to suppress the signs of the disease in infants are categorically not recommended.

Giardia in children older than one year of age

There are drastic changes in the child's behavior. First, the child refuses to eat, and then begins to rapidly lose weight, up to exhaustion.

According to the form of the disease, two types of giardiasis are distinguished: acute and chronic. Both one and the second form must be treated.

Symptoms of acute giardiasis:

frequent defecation with liquid, watery, fetid masses - “fatty diarrhea”, which is poorly washed off the walls of the pot;
feverish state;
abdominal pain, the clinical picture is similar to the diagnosis of "acute abdomen";
allergic manifestations in the form of a pink rash;
exacerbation of the disease in the presence of atopic dermatitis;
general condition is poor.

Without appropriate treatment, the signs of the disease gradually fade away and the disease becomes chronic.

Symptoms of chronic giardiasis:

indigestion;
gastroduodenitis;
biliary dyskinesia;
flatulence;
pain in the middle of the abdomen, around the umbilical region;
unstable multiple bowel movements with mushy feces.

In addition to the general signs of an infectious lesion, there are a number of characteristic signs of Giardia lesions in a child older than one year of age:

Prolonged diarrhea. Fecal masses of a sharp unpleasant odor that stick to the walls of the toilet bowl, since fats are not digested by the body during infection.
Long-term non-falling temperature, keeping on subfebrile indicators.
Prolonged feverish state - chills interspersed with heat against the background of general weakness in the body.
The occurrence of acute pain around the umbilical region - the place of the projection of the small intestine on the surface of the body.
Skin allergic reactions in the form of an itchy rash are possible.
Occasionally - nausea accompanied by vomiting.

Against the background of these symptoms, a rapid weight loss of the child occurs, leading to exhaustion.

The manifestation of giardiasis in adolescents

When infected in a child in adolescence, giardiasis manifests itself in the form of vegetative dysfunctions of the body and is noted:

pressure drops;
dizziness;
vasomotor rhinitis;
motion sickness in transport.

Often, the symptoms of giardiasis in adolescents are confused with signs characteristic of biliary dyskinesia.

Any prescribed treatment that is not aimed at suppressing the vital activity of lamblia, of course, leads to nothing and is ineffective.

That is why it is so important to conduct an appropriate diagnosis for the child for the simplest, especially if the uncharacteristic signs are supported by the above symptoms of the manifestation of the presence of lamblia in the body.

Examination of the child's body and tests for Giardia

There is a specific diagnosis of giardiasis in children with a standard analysis for protozoa:

Taking a coprogram, or examining feces under a microscope.
Taking blood for serological testing.
Taking blood for duodenal examination.

A duodenal blood test is performed only for children who have reached the age of 10.

The main conclusions of the diagnosis of giardiasis are made on the basis of the findings of studies of feces and the contents of the duodenum. Solid stools are examined during the first day after taking the analysis, since the survivability of cysts persists for a ten-day period. Feces that are liquid in consistency must be delivered and examined in the laboratory no later than 15 minutes after a bowel movement, since the survivability of the vegetative form of Giardia is barely 30 minutes.

Targeted studies of feces for giardiasis are carried out daily for 3-4 days, since the accuracy of any analysis of feces does not exceed 70% in terms of its effectiveness. In this case, the child is given a small dose of laxative, which allows you to regularly collect feces for analysis. Microscopy by formalin-ether precipitation should be performed immediately, while the feces are still warm.

A blood test is the search and detection of antibodies formed as a result of infection of the body with Giardia. But even this analysis does not give a clear picture, inducing the presence of protozoa in the body.

It is precisely because of the difficulties in conducting research on children that the treatment of giardiasis is classified as a disease that is difficult to treat, despite the abundance of pharmacological preparations, as well as folk recipes for expelling protozoa from the body.

If the disease has affected the child, it is necessary to resort to classical medicine, and traditional medicine to be used as an adjuvant therapy, since the child, with an established diagnosis, needs serious and immediate treatment.

To expel protozoa from the body in a modern therapeutic technique, an effective scheme has been developed for the destruction of Giardia of the intestine, liver, bile ducts and duodenum. The technique is divided into three stages, the duration of which depends on the degree of damage and the severity of the disease.

As noted by the reviews of parents whose children received complex treatment in a clinical setting, the fifth day is critical in all respects. As a rule, the child becomes worse, the condition of the intestine is noted as painful, the body temperature rises. This is due to the death of protozoa and the entry of intoxication products into the blood. Already at the first stage, antihistamines are introduced into the course. The treatment prognosis is favorable, and from this moment the second stage of complex therapy begins.

At the second stage, anti-allergic drugs are administered. This can be either Loratedin or Cytirizine, as well as the introduction of choleretic herbal preparations into the scheme - Allochol and Holosas. Smecta, activated carbon or Polysorbate are prescribed as sorbents. For additional body support, enzymes are prescribed - Festal or Pancreatin, as well as a laxative for better defecation.

On the 10th or 12th day after the start of complex treatment, the reviews of parents note a significant improvement in the child's condition. In total, the child's lambliasis is cured in two to three months, but do not forget that there is a disease prevention that prevents not only relapses, but also a priori infection with protozoa.

Prevention of infection with protozoa comes down to elementary hygiene rules: washing hands, washing vegetables and fruits with high quality and rinsing them with boiled water before eating, being attentive to pets and timely deworming them.

It's worth reading

Infection in children can occur in various forms and with a variety of clinical symptoms, for example, allergic-dermatological, dyspeptic, intoxication, etc. Susceptibility to infection in children is three times higher than in the general population.

The danger of pathology is that in young patients it can hide under the guise of other diseases, so the diagnosis and prevention of the development of giardiasis is a rather serious problem.

Therefore, in children affected by Giardia, fungal infections, Helicobacter pylori are often detected, and the content of lacto- and bifidobacteria organisms drops critically.

Against the background of such changes, a pronounced one develops, which creates a favorable environment for the further progression of giardiasis in the structures of the intestinal sections.

As a result, a multivitamin type deficiency and an acute micronutrient deficiency are formed.

Against the background of these processes, the intestinal walls are irritated, their nerve endings activate reflex reactions, causing abdominal syndrome. As a result of sensitization, the child often begins to show allergic reactions, etc.

Photo of a rash in the form of dermatosis with giardiasis in children

Classification

Primary, when there is an acute form of giardiasis. Typically, such lesions are detected in very young children of toddler and kindergarten age;
Secondary or protracted is chronic giardiasis, which usually occurs in school-age children and adults.

Also, giardiasis can develop in a child as a concomitant pathology.

Symptoms of an acute form of giardiasis in children

The main blow is directed at the small intestine structures that are involved in digestion and absorption, so the pathology is often manifested by exhaustion.

It is possible to determine the development of giardiasis in a child by some specific manifestations:

Often, giardiasis occurs with a neuropsychic syndrome, in which patients complain of headaches and dizziness, memory impairment, or nervous tics.

Signs of a chronic form

Against the background of giardia lesions, there may be instability of the stool, peeling and noticeable dryness of the skin, allergic pathologies, keratosis or periodic hyperthermic signs to subfebrile values, as well as symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia.

Diagnostics

It is necessary to pass tests for giardiasis for all children with deviations in the gastrointestinal tract of activity, neurotic or vegetative disorders, increased allergenicity, etc.

To identify giardiasis invasions, the child needs to take a stool sample for analysis, and this procedure must be done three times, since the cysts are excreted unevenly, which is why they may not be found in the stool.

Also, for the diagnosis of giardiasis, laboratory studies of duodenal masses, serological studies, diagnostics, etc. are prescribed. Additionally, diagnostic studies such as ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs, blood biochemistry, detection of dysbacteriosis by feces, etc. can be prescribed.

How to cure an infection?

The treatment of giardiasis should be handled exclusively by an experienced specialist, especially when a child is affected. To do this, you need to contact an infectious disease specialist or a gastroenterologist.

The general scheme of therapy is based on diagnostic data, laboratory results, assessment of the general well-being of the baby, etc. The preparatory stage of treatment requires strict adherence to the diet and relief of cholestasis. This stage lasts about 20 days.

Diet

In children's giardiasis, it involves an approach that necessarily takes into account the allergenic effect. For example, allergic reactions are usually caused by citruses and berries, nuts, etc. Therefore, these products will have to be excluded from the diet of a small patient for the duration of treatment.

The basis of the menu should be simple dishes of lean meat, vegetables, compotes and low-fat cottage cheese, etc. If there is no rash characteristic of giardiasis, then a small amount of bright red berries, fruits or vegetables like cherries, tomatoes or beets can be introduced into the menu.

To exclude the wrong selection of products, you need to contact the pediatrician, who will select the dietary diet necessary for the baby.

Food should be steamed or boiled. Only strict adherence to the principles of diet therapy guarantees the child a speedy recovery.

Folk remedies

Among the folk methods, the following are especially known:

Cucumber water. Half a kilo of overripe cucumbers must be poured with a liter of boiling water and insisted. The resulting drink should be given to the child throughout the day.
Garlic milk. Boil the milk and cool a little, pour into a glass and add a couple of garlic cloves there. The tool is suitable for the treatment of children over 6 years of age, who should be given a drink of ¼ cup four times a day, about an hour before meals. Take this milk until recovery.
Plantain with honey. Chop plantain leaves and mix with honey 1:1. Give the baby such a mixture of tsp. three times a day about half an hour before meals. The medicine is suitable for children over 7 years of age.
Flax-seed. It is necessary to prepare a mixture of 10 teaspoons of flaxseeds and 1 teaspoon of cloves, pour it with water and boil for half an hour. Divide the weight of the child by 3. The final result will be the dose of decoction for the baby. Drinking should be given no more than three times a day, the course is one and a half to two weeks.

There are still a lot of folk recipes for the treatment of giardiasis in children, however, they cannot be practiced on their own in order to exclude the possibility of unforeseen complications. Therefore, it is necessary to first discuss the details of such treatment with a specialist.

Preparations

It is the second phase of therapy for giardiasis. Usually, the duration of taking the drugs does not exceed a weekly course, although in some cases the doctor may extend the treatment.

The drug Macmirror is often used for the treatment of giardiasis, and the number of possible adverse reactions from it is minimal, and the water spectrum of antimicrobial action, on the contrary, is quite wide.

15 mg of the drug is taken per kilogram of weight. Parents of young patients who were prescribed this drug were very satisfied with the therapeutic result.

Svetlana:

They found giardiasis in my son, the doctor prescribed Macmirror. I was very afraid for the child, I thought it was safer to treat folk remedies, but my husband convinced me. We drank a course of the drug, I was pleasantly surprised that it acts gently, I did not notice any side effects. Therefore, I was worried in vain, for the kids it is safe.

Nemozol

A fairly popular anthelmintic drug is Nemozol. It is able to destroy not only adult giardia, but also their larvae, which often makes this remedy a priority in the treatment of giardiasis.

But it cannot be used to treat children with hepatic pathologies, diseases of the eye retina. The drug should be taken only at the same time as meals. The dosage is 10 mg per kilogram.

Elena:

When my daughter was diagnosed with lamblia during registration at school, I was simply shocked. I myself am literally obsessed with hygiene and my daughter taught it from the cradle, but giardiasis was diagnosed. Nemozol was prescribed for his treatment. I didn’t think before that he was prescribed small, but you can’t argue with the doctor. After the first dose, there was no reaction to the drug, but after the next dose of the drug, the daughter began to feel nausea and vomited several times. It happened a couple more times, but then all the side reactions disappeared, the body adapted to the medicine and we successfully drank the entire course. Control analyzes of lamblia were not found.

Hofitol

The drug Hofitol is also considered an effective remedy, and the drug is of plant origin, and its basis is the artichoke.

The tool helps to eliminate many toxins, nitrates, etc. The drug is directly indicated in the presence of giardiasis.

For children, syrup forms are usually used.

Forecast

If the course of treatment is carried out completely, then remission according to clinical and laboratory data is achieved in about 95% of small patients. But there are situations when there is a relapse or reinfection of giardiasis in children.

Therefore, in order to avoid such a reaction, the pediatrician observes the child after treatment for another six months. During this time, it is necessary to undergo 2-3 preventive examinations for giardia infestations.

Prevention

Preventive measures for giardiasis involve the timely detection of infected children in children's groups, as well as their timely treatment. Parents should instill personal hygiene habits in their children from an early age.

For drinking, it is better to use pre-boiled water, and fruits or vegetables should be thoroughly washed and poured over with boiling water. Also excellent preventive methods are anti-epidemic measures in preschool and school institutions.

What doctor treats?

Giardiasis is treated by a pediatric gastroenterologist.

Video transmission of Dr. Komarovsky about giardiasis in children:

General information

The reasons

Pathogenesis

In addition, Giardia secrete toxic metabolic products that disrupt the absorption of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, trace elements, vitamins and minerals in the small intestine, forming a micronutrient deficiency and multivitamin deficiency. With giardiasis in children, the synthesis of digestive enzymes suffers, which is reflected in the development of lactase deficiency and malabsorption syndrome.

Irritation of the nerve endings of the intestinal wall triggers pathological viscero-visceral reflexes, contributing to the development of abdominal syndrome. Sensitization of the organism by metabolic products and the death of Giardia causes various forms of allergic manifestations.

Long-term persistence of lamblia, the impact of their toxins and metabolic products on various systems, causes the child to develop chronic endogenous intoxication syndrome, neurotic reactions, and secondary immune deficiency.

Classification

According to the WHO classification, there are asymptomatic giardia carriers and clinically pronounced giardiasis in children. According to the characteristics of clinical manifestations, primary invasion is distinguished (acute giardiasis is more common in children of a younger age group) and prolonged recurrent infection (chronic giardiasis is usually recorded in older children and adults).

Depending on the clinical variant, giardiasis in children can occur in the intestinal form (in the form of duodenitis, duodenal dyskinesia, enteritis, enterocolitis), hepatobiliary form (in the form of biliary dyskinesia, cholangitis, cholecystitis), as a concomitant disease.

In children of different ages, giardiasis can acquire a clinical form with a predominance of pain, dyspeptic, allergic-dermatological, astheno-neurotic, intoxication syndrome, or combinations thereof.

Symptoms of giardiasis in children

Almost all children with giardiasis have an abdominal syndrome, characterized by paroxysmal pain in the abdomen (in the epigastrium, in the navel, right hypochondrium), not associated with food intake. Sometimes the severity of pain in children may resemble the clinic of an acute abdomen.

Dyspeptic syndrome in a child with giardiasis can be expressed in a decrease in appetite, the presence of belching, heartburn, nausea, bitterness in the mouth, and bloating. Against the background of concomitant intestinal dysbiosis, the stool becomes liquid, frothy, fetid; the frequency of bowel movements increases to 3-5 times a day. When examining the coprogram, steatorrhea is detected. Sometimes children with giardiasis have alternating constipation and diarrhea. The consequence of intestinal absorption and stool disorders is weight loss, malnutrition.

Allergo-dermatological manifestations of giardiasis in children are not very specific. In some cases, a small-dotted pink rash appears on the skin like urticaria, indomitable skin itching; in adolescents, juvenile acne develops or worsens. May develop allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis, Quincke's edema, bronchial asthma. Sometimes giardiasis in children manifests itself with attacks of arthralgia and arthritis.

Intoxication with giardiasis in children is accompanied by hepatolienal syndrome, lymphadenopathy, enlarged tonsils and adenoids, and an unreasonable rise in body temperature to 37.5-38 ° C.

Chronic giardiasis in children does not have pronounced clinical manifestations. Its course is characterized by dryness and peeling of the skin, follicular keratosis, exacerbation or manifestation of allergic diseases, worsening of the course of somatic pathology, stool instability, periodic low-grade fever, signs of vegetative-vascular dystonia, etc.

Diagnostics

Since the signs of infection are not specific, children with giardiasis are often treated for a long time and to no avail by an allergist-immunologist, a pediatric dermatologist, a pediatric pulmonologist, a pediatric neurologist, a pediatric gastroenterologist. Children with gastrointestinal pathology, vegetative and neurotic disorders, allergic diseases, persistent eosinophilia according to the hemogram should be examined for giardiasis.

The most accessible form of diagnosing giardiasis in children is the identification of giardia cysts in the feces. This requires at least three tests, however, since cystic excretion occurs intermittently, cyclically, Giardia is not always found in the feces. In some cases, the study of duodenal contents obtained by probing is more informative.

Currently, serological diagnosis of giardiasis in children (ELISA) is widely used, aimed at identifying specific antibodies to Giardia antigens in the blood, as well as a highly sensitive PCR study of feces and duodenal contents.

As part of the examination, additional diagnostic procedures may be recommended for children with giardiasis: ultrasound of the abdominal organs, fecal analysis for dysbacteriosis, coprogram, biochemical blood test.

Treatment of giardiasis in children

Anti-giardia therapy is preceded by a preparatory stage, including diet and diet and elimination of cholestasis. To increase the effectiveness of the treatment of giardiasis in children, it is recommended to follow a diet: the use of cereals, bran, dried fruits, baked vegetables and fruits; reduction in the proportion of easily digestible carbohydrates. In order to eliminate endogenous intoxication, it is recommended to take enterosorbents; with the syndrome of maldigestion and malabsorption, enzymes based on pancreatin are prescribed. With giardiasis in children, the use of cholekinetics is indicated, blind tubages according to Demyanov are performed. When dysbacteriosis is detected, an appropriate correction of the microbial landscape of the intestine is carried out.

After completion of the prescribed course, the child should be re-examined for giardiasis. With a persistent course of giardiasis in children, two cycles of treatment with different drugs are carried out.

Forecast and prevention of giardiasis in children

When conducting a full course of therapy, clinical and laboratory remission is achieved in 92-95% of children. However, cases of reinfection and recurrence of giardiasis in children are not uncommon. After completion of treatment, children should be observed by a pediatrician with a 2-3-fold examination for giardiasis. With negative laboratory results, but the resumption of typical symptoms of giardiasis, the child needs to undergo an anti-relapse course of treatment.