Because of their tendency to touch things they otherwise shouldn't, coupled with their still-in-development hygiene and hand-washing habits, children are easily susceptible to parasites. These parasites reside in the intestines and feed off the host's body. Common intestinal parasites include tapeworms, pinworms, roundworms and single-celled protozoa, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Symptoms vary depending on the parasite, but are generally easy to spot and identify.
Appetite Changes
A loss of appetite is a common symptom children display for a variety of different parasitic infections. Because parasites feed off and take nutrients from the host's body, noticeable and sometimes severe changes in appetite can occur. In severe cases, this can lead to weight loss. Along with a loss of appetite, a child may also experience malabsorption of certain nutrients. For example, if a child has the parasitic infection giardiasis, he will be unable to absorb fats. As a consequence, an infected child's diarrhea contains unabsorbed fats, and floats, smells very bad and is shiny, according to KidsHealth from the Nemours Foundation.
Stool Changes
One of the most noticeable symptoms of parasitic infection in children are changes in both the frequency of bowel movements and the appearance of the stool. As waste passes through the intestines, it can pick up some of the parasites that live in the intestines, and worms or eggs may be visible in a child's stool. Diarrhea, often accompanied by blood in the stool, is also a common symptom.
Nausea
The presence of parasites in the intestines and stomach can cause a child to have nausea accompanied by vomiting, abdominal pain and weakness.
Other Symptoms
If a child's parasitic infection is left undiagnosed and untreated, more severe symptoms can begin to manifest, including fever, allergic reaction to larvae and even neurological symptoms and seizures.
