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Toddlers who interact with other people always run the risk of sharing unwanted parasites. It’s particularly common in children who frequently play with other toddlers of their age.
The main parasite we’re talking about is lice. These are often difficult to see, because they attach themselves to your child’s hair, usually at the base of each strand. But a symptom of lice is easier to detect: itching and scratching. If your toddler is scratching her head quite a bit and there’s no dandruff flying about, chances are the problem is lice. To find out, you should inspect her head thoroughly without touching it yourself (so you don’t put yourself at risk). A toothpick usually works best. Look for little insects flying about or just resting on strands of hair.
To get rid of lice, you should call your pediatrician to recommend a good lice shampoo. Use this shampoo thoroughly and frequently on your child. You’ll then want to use a fine comb to brush out all the dead eggs (the shampoo will kill the lice). To keep your child from getting lice, you should keep your child from sharing anything that goes in her hair such as ribbons, combs or hats.
The other main parasite that occurs among young children are worms. We’re talking specifically about ringworms and pinworms. Ringworms are contagious and are caught when a child touches something that has the fungus on it and then rubs his eyes or puts his hands in his mouth. You should encourage your children to wash their hands frequently and not to rub their eyes or put their fingers in their mouths. Pinworms are worms that lay eggs around the anus area. Your child might itch there in the middle of the night. The worms may be passed from child to child who eats with his hands after not washing after using the bathroom. If your child experiences either of these parasites, you should contact your pediatrician to find out how to take care of the problem. If your child has worms, your entire family may be instructed to take medication.
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