Hearing that your child has a tapeworm can be scary, but in most cases, there is nothing to worry about. According to MayoClinic.com, tapeworm infections are usually mild, although invasive tapeworm can cause serious complications. The good news is that meat inspections keep tapeworms out of the U.S. food supply, according to Discovery Health.
Tapeworm
Ingesting water or food contaminated with tapeworm eggs or larvae leads to tapeworm infection. Tapeworm larvae typically develop into adult tapeworms in the intestines in what is known as intestinal tapeworm infection, but in some cases tapeworm eggs migrate outside of the intestines and form cysts in organs and body tissue, making for a more serious problem known as invasive tapeworm infection. Tapeworms can either attach to the intestinal wall or pass through to your child's stool and exit the body. Adult tapeworms can live up to 20 years in a host and can measure up to 50 feet long.
Causes
Children commonly get tapeworms by eating infected pork, beef or fish. An animal with tapeworm infection has tapeworm larvae in its muscle tissue, and eating raw or undercooked meat from the animal will lead to tapeworm eggs passing into your child, possibly forming adult tapeworms in the intestines. Exposure to livestock, poor hygiene and travel to developing countries can increase your the risk of tapeworm infection.
Symptoms
Children with intestinal tapeworm might exhibit symptoms including weakness, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea and weight loss. Invasive tapeworm infection can lead to organ and tissue damage resulting in fever, bacterial infections, cystic masses or lumps, and neurological symptoms or seizures.
Complications
Intestinal tapeworm infections usually have little or no complications unless the tapeworm grows large enough to block the bile duct, appendix or pancreatic duct, which causes problems for those organs. Invasive tapeworm infections can lead to brain and central nervous system impairment or organ function disruption.
Treatment
If your child is diagnosed with intestinal tapeworm your doctor will most likely prescribe an oral medication. According to MayoClinic.com, the drug praziquantel, or Biltricide, is toxic to the tapeworm and will attack the adult tapeworm. Stool samples are checked at one to three months after taking the medication to make sure your child is free of tapeworm eggs and larvae. The success rate of killing and removing tapeworms is high in children who receive appropriate treatment, according to MayoClinic.com. Invasive tapeworm treatment depends on the effects and location of the infection and can include anthelmintic drugs to shrink the tapeworm cysts, anti-inflammatories, shunt placement, anti-epileptic therapy or surgery when the cysts are in an area where they can be removed.
Prevention
Tapeworm infection prevention includes washing hands with soap and water before eating or handling food and after using the toilet. It is also important to thoroughly cook meat at temperatures of at least 125 F and freeze meat for at least 12 hours prior to cooking. You also should thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables before eating.
