Tips for Deworming!

Article contributed by subscriber: Ms. Samayra Gupta, Medical Student, Lucknow

Everyone - both child and adult - has high risk of getting infected by worms. Worms such as tape worm, round worm, pin worm, whip worm and hook worm being a very common health problem for children and adults. Thus, health experts recommend that deworming should get done twice a year or every six months, starting from the age of two years old. Regular deworming is necessary to prevent recurrence of intestinal worms.

Worm Infections cause loss of appetite, malnourishment, impaired mental and physical development as well as tissue damage that may require corrective surgery. Deworming is the process that involves the use of medication to get rid of helminths parasites like worms.

Unfortunately, worm infections can happen even after best hygiene practices and precautions, especially, in children. Therefore, it is the responsibility of parents to ensure that their children are free of this perilous parasitic infection.

Here are a few tips one can do to limit the risk of getting infected by worms. Adopt the following healthy habits to prevent worm infections:

• Maintain good personnel hygiene, such as washing hands with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizers before eating and after playing outdoors or with pets.
• Do not eat unwashed fruits, vegetables and salads.
• Drinks only boiled or filtered water.
• Never share your water bottles.
• Do not eat under-cooked food, vegetables or meat.
• Make sure that your children does not play barefoot when outdoors.
• Use swimming pools that do meet the hygiene requirements.
• Educate and inform your child about personnel hygiene.

Besides, make sure to deworm your pets as well because you can contract worms - roundworms, hookworms, or tapeworms from your pets too.

These precautions may not eliminate the chance of getting worms, but do help to live a good, healthy life.