Worms:

Thread worms: If you notice your child scratching her bottom, examine her stools for thread-like worms. Thread worms are the most common infecting worms. The female crawls through the anus and lays her eggs in the surrounding skin. When your child scratches her bottom, the eggs may get under her nails and are ingested again when she puts her hands into her mouth.

Your doctor will prescribe a single-dose treatment that will destroy both the worms and the eggs. Since worms are highly infectious, all members of the family should take the anti-worm treatment. Repeat the dose after a fortnight. Make sure that you keep your child's nails short and ensure that she washes her hands after she goes to the bathroom.

Toxocara: Dogs and cats are carriers of this roundworm. Your child is most likely to get infected when she plays in areas where animals may have defecated. These worms are usually ingested by the child when she puts her dirty hands into her mouth. The worms enter the bloodstream through the intestinal wall and travel to the lungs. They are coughed up, swallowed, and then they continue to develop in the intestines. There are usually no symptoms. However, if your child has more than one worm, it may result in abdominal pain and a loss of appetite.

Signs & Symptoms, Adults, Children:

Allergies, Many allergies in humans are caused by worm infections. Tissue becomes inflamed and reactions to foods are the result when eosinophils (white blood cells) are increased due to them. Extreme skin rashes with blisters and food allergies or sensitivities may result.

Anemia, Worms leach nutrients from bodies causing anemia. When they are present in large numbers, they can create enough blood loss to cause anemia or iron deficiency in some people.

Constipation, Some worms can obstruct certain organs like the colon, liver and the bile duct, causing constipation and other problems.

Diarrhea, Most of the time diarrhea is nature's way of removing toxins.

Fatigue, Symptoms include tiredness, flue-like symptoms, apathy, depression and a lack of concentration.

Gas and Stomach Bloating, Some parasites live in the upper intestine, which can cause both gas and stomach bloating.

Immune Dysfunction, Worms in Humans depress the immune system by decreasing immunoglobulin A.

Nervousness, The waste products from parasites irritate the nervous system, resulting in anxiety and restlessness.

Other Signs & Symptom of Worms & Parasites in Children

Blisters appear on the inside of the lower lip, wiping of the nose, restlessness and grinding of the teeth at night, dark circles under the eyes, hyperactive, bed wetting, headaches, sensitive to light, twitching eyelid, gum, rectum, or nose bleeding are signs they may have worms & parasites.