Threadworms in Children: Symptoms, Spread, and Effective Home Treatments
Doctor explains everything you need to know about threadworms, from symptoms and how they spread to effective treatment and prevention methods. Learn how to protect your family and maintain good hygiene to avoid re-infestation.
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Topic Breakdown
Threadworms, also known as pinworms, are tiny worms that can be found in your stool. They are particularly common in children but can easily spread to adults as well. The good news is that you can treat them without needing to see a doctor. In this blog post, we will cover everything you need to know about threadworms, including what they are, their symptoms, how they spread, and how to treat and prevent them.
Threadworms are small, white worms that resemble pieces of thread. You can often spot them in your child’s stool with the naked eye, and they might also be visible around your child's bottom. The worms usually come out at night while your child is sleeping, which can cause significant discomfort and itching around the bottom or vagina. This itching is often so intense that it wakes children up in the middle of the night, leading to crying and disturbed sleep. Other, less common symptoms of threadworms include weight loss, bedwetting, and irritated skin around the bottom from scratching.
So, how do threadworms spread? The process is quite simple but effective. Threadworms lay eggs around the anus, causing itching. When the area is scratched, the eggs get stuck under the fingernails and can then be transferred to anything the person touches. This can include clothes, toys, toothbrushes, kitchen or bathroom surfaces, and even pet fur. When someone else touches these contaminated surfaces and then touches their mouth, the eggs are ingested and begin to hatch into worms within about two weeks.
Now, let’s discuss treatment options. Fortunately, if your child has threadworms, you usually don’t need to see a doctor. You can purchase a medication called mebendazole from pharmacies, which is effective in treating threadworms. Mebendazole is available in chewable tablet or liquid form, making it easy to administer to children. It is important to treat everyone in the household, even if they don’t show symptoms, to prevent re-infestation.
However, if you have a child under two years old, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding, you should consult a pharmacist or doctor before starting any treatment. The medication kills the threadworms but does not kill the eggs, which can survive outside the body for up to two weeks. Therefore, maintaining good hygiene is crucial to prevent re-infestation.
Here are some essential hygiene practices to follow:
- Wash hands and scrub under fingernails thoroughly, especially before eating and after using the toilet or changing nappies.
- Encourage children to wash their hands regularly.
- Bathe or shower every morning to remove any eggs laid overnight.
- Rinse toothbrushes before use.
- Keep fingernails short.
- Wash sleepwear, sheets, towels, and soft toys at a hot temperature.
- Disinfect kitchen and bathroom surfaces.
- Vacuum and dust with a damp cloth.
- Ensure children wear underwear at night and change it in the morning.
Additionally, there are several things you should avoid to prevent spreading the eggs:
- Don’t shake clothing or bedding, as this can cause eggs to land on other surfaces.
- Don’t share towels or flannels.
- Don’t bite nails or suck thumbs and fingers.
In the UK, children with threadworms do not need to stay off nursery, school, or work, but it is crucial to adhere to the hygiene measures mentioned above. It is possible for children to get threadworms again if they ingest the eggs, which is why it is so important to encourage regular handwashing.
If you have any experiences or tips to share about dealing with threadworms, please leave a comment below. Sharing your story can help others who might be going through the same situation. Don’t forget to share this post with friends and family to spread awareness and check out the resources linked in the description for more information.
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