December 11, 2012

We Don't Need Parasites!


One of the things I really get worried as first time parent is about deworming my son. I heard from Mama that she was also afraid the time I was dewormed and send me to my grandparents. She was afraid, I presume, on the worms coming out which is also one of my fears.

Last week, when Matt got his vaccine on Typhoid, I asked his pedia if he could already undergo deworming. Since Matt is already 2 ½ years old, it will be alright to undergo deworming, as per his  pedia. Doc immediately prescribed me to buy Mebendazole and take a single shot at night and will be repeated next year. To my surprise, maybe Doc sensed my fear, he told me not to be afraid. I will not see any worm, if there are in Matt’s tummy, because it will be dissolved by the medicine including the eggs. This gives me a great relief.

With this, I learned that parents should not be afraid of deworming their kids. We cannot remove our kids from getting infested because I believe it is already part of growth and development. Instead, we should keep in mind that this is necessary to eliminate these intestinal parasites that affect our kid’s general health and prevent them from other serious illnesses.

Furthermore, you can still prevent or reduce kids from being infested by the following simple but essential steps:
  • Wash their hands before eating especially after playing outdoors or with pets.
  • Trim their fingernails and toenails regularly.
  • Wash fruits and veggies given to them as raw like salads.
  • Cook meat properly
  • Ensure that your kids are wearing foot covers (shoes, slippers) when playing outdoors.
  • Always give them purified/filtered/boiled water
  • Tell them to avoid sharing bottles in school.
  • If you got pets in your house, deworm them also cause it might be transferred to humans.
  • Don't let thumbsucking or nail bitting a kid's habit.
Above all, the best thing to prevent your kids from getting those tiny parasites is to teach them how to maintain proper hygiene as early as possible.

For other parents, especially the first time ones like me, better consult your doctors before deworming your kids.

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