It can cause severe nerve damage and even death, but many of us have never even heard of it.
Reports of children infected by Raccoon Roundworm are sending shivers through playgrounds everywhere.
With school back in session, playgrounds are also filling up, but underneath the slides and swings a deadly disease could be lurking.
Raccoon Roundworms is passed from raccoon feces to children playing in sandboxes.
“It’s a parasite which is ingested by the person who inadvertently eats the feces, or brings the feces on their shoes to the household, and then picks on the residue that has feces admixed to it,” internist Dr. Svetlana Kogan said.
Krogan has been swamped with patients. She warns parents to take caution.
 |  |
 | |  |
| | | | | | | |
Racoon Roundworm
News 8’s Crestina Chavez has more on how the Raccoon Roundworm is affecting children.
 
| | |
| | | | | |
|
“Make sure that we clean under their nails, that we clean their shoes after they visited the playground,” Kogan said.
Pay attention to symptoms like nauseam fatigue, and loss of muscle control.
If you think your child has been exposed to Raccoon Roundworm, get the checked out by a health care provider immediately.
Early treatment might reduce serious damage caused by the infection, but no drugs have been found to be completely effective at treating the disease.
