Deworming and 'wash out' ... Are they beneficial?

It's fast approaching back-to-school time, and apart from getting the books, uniforms, and other school supplies, it is a common practice to deworm and 'wash-out' our children before they go back to school.

It is thought that with all the idle time the kids had on their hands, they would have indulged in eating a lot of potentially harmful things and engaged in activities which would have caused them to contract worms. These would now need to be removed, hence, these interventions.

There is a lot of time for play during summer. Kids play barefooted, in the mud, rain, river, etc. They also often eat with unwashed hands and may eat improperly cooked food. These activities facilitate them becoming infested with worms.

Worms, though, rarely cause any problems and do not really need routine removal.

Worms have actually been found to have a beneficial effect on the immune system, reducing the risk of allergic conditions. If they are present in high numbers (e.g. the roundworm) though some may obstruct the intestines leading to vomiting, abdominal pain and swelling and constipation.

Some (like the hookworm and the pinworm) may also cause small amounts of bleeding, leading to anaemia, which can lead to poor school performance. But this is rare. De-worming is normally recommended twice per year, so no harm is done once the child is not younger than two years old.

The 'wash-out' is often a very unpleasant activity, unlike the deworming, as the loss of bowel control can be very distressing. Parents often use a laxative herb (like senna) to give the large intestine of their child(ren) a thorough rinse!

Senna is classified as a stimulant laxative. This means that it stimulates the large intestine to release more fluids and electrolytes into its canal, and it also causes it to contract, hence flushing out its contents. This activity is unlikely to be of any benefit to the child as the intestine's contents are usually free-flowing and do not accumulate (a common misperception).

In addition, there may be complications such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, prolonged diarrhoea, dehydration, and severe loss of salts from the body. There are times when the child even ends up admitted to hospital. This practice is more likely to cause more harm than good and is, therefore, not recommended.

Dr Douglas Street is a general practitioner and has private practices at Trinity Medical Centre, Trinity Mall at 3 Barnett Street in Montego Bay, and Omega Medical Centre at Plaza de Negril, Negril. Send feedbacks to drdougstreet@yahoo.com