Chennai: Since the childhood, the mothers time and again remind us of worms living in our body.

It is known that the human body has both good and bad ones, it is essential that a child has to be dewormed according to doctors’ advice to have a healthy body.

Roundworm, flukes and tapeworm are the parasites that has to be taken care of as it causes anemia and nutritional deficiencies.

Stunted growth, loss of appetite and loss of productivity are a few of the cues that has to be considered to identify that the child requires to be dewormed, not doing so would result in the extreme case of being anaemic and deficient of nutrition. These are more common during the childhood days as children do not in-take vegetables and fruits.

As a result of which, the Indian government began observing National Deworming Day a few years ago to dispel knowledge on the need to do so. The government distributes free tablets for students aged between 1 and 19 across all Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) centres, schools and colleges for deworming.

“For children aged one and two, half tablet (200 mg) and for students between 2 and 19 years of age, one tablet (400 mg) will be distributed. Albendazole is a safe tablet that prevents anemia and nutritional deficiencies. It further boosts the immunity, body growth and makes people active. The tablet should be chewed well and consumed,” said the official press release from the State government.

Experts advise of not consuming improperly cooked meat as the eggs of the worms enter the intestine and thrives there and releases about 1,000-2,000 eggs easily.

However, it is advised that self-medication is not recommended and necessary medical intervention should be sought when the symptoms are abnormal.