If a lot of kids from orphanages have parasites, then why not just treat them with anti-parasite medications presumptively when they first arrive in the U.S.?
20% of children adopted from abroad have parasitic infections which means 80% of the children do not have parasitic infections. It seems obvious that it would be ill-advised to treat 80% of the children for a disease that they did not have. If a child has a parasitic infection, it can be diagnosed even if it is missed initially. Presumptive treatment for parasites precludes the elucidation of the actual medical diagnosis. It is never prudent to treat someone for a disease that is assumed rather than clearly demonstrated. Medications have side effects and treatment may also mask other diseases.
