Worm infestation is the most common and important aspect causing health problems in children. Worms are tiny little organisms that are identified in the digestive system of humans. Which leads to several problems such as mild stomach ache, vomiting sensation, not wanting to have food, Indigestion or increased appetite, Constipation or diarrhoea, Discolouration of the skin, White patches on the face, feverish feeling, giddiness, itching all over the body and around the anus, loss of sleep, weight loss, grinding the teeth during sleeping, Pricking of nose, Headache, Bad breath, Dribbling saliva during sleep, loss of hair etc can be seen. Not every child with worms will have all these symptoms. They may have few of the mentioned above. The different types of worms are roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, threadworms and giardia.
Some of the causes for worm infestation as mentioned in Ayurveda are;
1. Eating during Indigestion
2. Excessive intake of sweet or sour foods
3. Uncooked and contaminated food intake
4. Black gram (Urad dal) preparations
5. Having the food prepared of jaggery in excess
6. Lack of personal hygiene
7. Leafy vegetables should be washed thoroughly as it may carry with it eggs and larvae of the worms
8. Not washing the hands after playing with mud
9. Eating dry grapes and dates which are brought from the market directly without washing.
10. More of non-vegetarian diet
Home remedies for worm infestation:
1.In complaints like itching at the anus, a Pichu (piece of sterile cotton) soaked in sesame oil or groundnut oil or clove oil should be placed at anus in small children up to age of 4-5yrs.
2. Having fresh buttermilk half a glass one hour before having food in the noon, as well as night food, is beneficial.
3. Making tablet out of the root of neem tree by grinding the root and taking it along with luke warm water for three days three time a day.
4. Preparing tablet of gooseberry size from seeds of papaya. Ripened papaya is taken, its seeds is used for the preparation of tablet. This is taken with hot water daily morning for 3 days.
5. Papaya fruit and guava are the best fruit to be taken in the case if you are suffering from worm infestation.
6. 5 drops of neem oil mixed with sugar and taken with lukewarm water early morning for seven days.
7. Fasting should be done at least once in 15 days.
8. Wash your hands before and after eating and also when contaminated during playing with pets or any other ways.
9. The habit of drinking boiled water, coconut water or water medicated with carom seeds (ajwain) and Embelia ribes (vidanga) also serves the purpose.
10. Carom seeds (ajwain) mixed with a pinch of salt taken on an empty stomach for a week helps to eliminate worms from the intestines.
11.Juice of holy basil (tulsi) leaves along with honey taken for long term culminates the habit of worm infestation.
