Toddler’s interaction with other people always contains a risk of acquiring unwanted harmful parasites. It’s particularly common in children who often play with other toddlers of the same age.
Parasites in Children
The major parasite which spread among toddlers is lice. These normally hide themselves and hard to see as they attach themselves to child’s hair, usually at the skin. But a symptom of lice is easier to notice like itching and scratching. If toddler is scratching her/his head quite a bit and there’s no dandruff is visible, chances of lice are maximum. To discover it, thorough inspection of the head is essential without touching it yourself, so you don’t put yourself at risk. A toothpick generally works best. Gaze for little insects flying about, resting on strands of hair or sucking the blood.
For complete lice eradication, parents must call pediatrician, to prescribe a good anti-lice shampoo. Use recommended shampoo thoroughly and repeatedly on affected toddler, then use a fine comb afterward to brush all remaining eggs and dead lice. To keep child away from getting lice, parents must stop their child from exchanging anything that goes in hair especially ribbons, combs, hats etc.
The second most common parasite that occurs among toddlers is worms, specifically ringworms and pinworms. Ringworms are highly contagious and a child caught them by touched something that contain fungus and then rubs his eyes or puts his hands in his mouth. Pinworms lay eggs around the anus area a child might itch there in the middle of the night. The worms passed from child to child who eats without washing their hands after the use of toilet. If your child experiences either of these parasites, you should contact to pediatrician for solution. If your child has worms, your entire family may be advised to take cautions. Gastrointestinal tract infections, like diarrhea, usually spread through direct contact with germs in the feces.
Many of the germs spread through what is known as “fecal-oral” transmission. When germs leave the body of the infected person in the feces (poop) and enter the body of another person through the mouth this phenomenon called fecal-oral transmission. Most of the time, it happens when objects (including toys, fingers, or hands) which have been contaminated with untraceable amounts of feces are placed in the mouth. Fecal-oral transmission also occurs when food or water is contaminated with human or animal feces, and then is eaten or drunk. Inappropriately made foods from animals for example, meat, milk, and eggs are often the source of infection with Campylobacter, E.coli, and Salmonella.
Blood infections spread when blood or body fluid from infected children gets into the bloodstream of healthy child, through cuts or openings in the skin; the mucous membrane that lines body cavities, such as the nose and eye; or directly into the bloodstream, as with a needle.
Some infections, such as chickenpox, impetigo, and hand-foot-and mouth disease, have several transmission routes. For example, they may be spread through air or by direct contact with the infectious germ.
