4<\/p>\n The little boy started vomiting wormsCredit: The Journal 4<\/p>\n An X-ray of his stomach revealed “intestinal obstructions”Credit: The Journal<\/p>\n Doctors, at Soebandi General Hospital in Jember, East Java, diagnosed him with constipation<\/a> – that was until he started vomiting live worms.<\/p>\n The child had recently moved to Jamber from Bali, where he spent most days playing barefoot with friends in the river.<\/p>\n In Jember, he often tagged along with his grandparents to help collect rubbish at the landfill. <\/p>\n At home, his mum usually fed him by hand, and he drank unboiled water straight from the local source.<\/p>\n Blood tests showed the boy was anaemic, caused by iron deficiency<\/a> – which can be a warning sign of a parasitic infection.<\/p>\n This is because some worms feed on blood in the intestines, leading to chronic blood loss and reduced iron levels.<\/p>\n An X-ray of the boy’s stomach revealed grey masses that doctors, writing in the Journal of Medical Case Reports<\/a>, said were indicative of an “intestinal obstruction”.<\/p>\n The surgical team decided to operate<\/a>. <\/p>\n During the procedure, they discovered three different areas in his small intestine that were completely blocked by worms. <\/p>\n These blockages stretched from the upper to lower parts of his gut.<\/p>\n ‘Insane’ X-ray shows bloke ‘full of eggs’ after doing one thing wrong in the kitchen<\/p>\n To remove them, surgeons made a small cut in his intestine, about 50cm from where it joins the large bowel, and gently squeezed – or “milked” – the worms out.<\/p>\n They then stitched the intestine back together and sent the worms to a lab for testing. <\/p>\n They were confirmed to be Ascaris lumbricoides, a type of roundworm that can grow up to 35cm long and live in the human gut.<\/p>\n They typically spread through contaminated food, water, or soil, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).<\/p>\n Children can become infected by walking barefoot on contaminated ground or playing in areas with poor sanitation, it added. <\/p>\n These worms can cause a range of health issues, especially in children \u2014 including stomach pain, blocked intestines, and difficulty absorbing nutrients, which can lead to poor growth and development.<\/p>\n In more severe cases, the worms can travel to other parts of the body, causing breathing problems<\/a> or infections.<\/p>\n After surgery, the boy was given fluids, antibiotics<\/a>, and a deworming medicine called pyrantel pamoate. <\/p>\n 4<\/p>\n Doctors found areas in the small intestine that were completely blocked by wormsCredit: jmedicalcasereports 4<\/p>\n Worms can lead to poor growth and development in childrenCredit: jmedicalcasereports<\/p>\n He recovered well and was sent home a week later with albendazole – another anti-worm medication – to finish his treatment.<\/p>\n “Intestinal obstruction is a rare manifestation of ascariasis [worms] but should be considered, especially in an endemic area,” the doctors wrote.<\/p>\n “Poor hygiene and sanitation may influence this massive condition.”<\/p>\n In the report, the medics mentioned a similar case in Cameroon, west Africa. <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/toddler-s-constipation-leads-vomiting-986425087.jpg\")
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