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CARING FOR YOUR CHILD PINWORMS
CARING FOR YOUR CHILD PINWORMS
Copyright © 2016 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc..
Last revised: May 12, 2016.
What Are Pinworms?
Pinworms are tiny worms that cause a common intestinal infection. It’s often found in children 5 to 14 years old. Crowded living conditions increase chances of spread to family members. It is usually more a nuisance than a major health problem.
People get the worms by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated beverages. Eggs hatch and baby worms grow in the intestine. Female worms travel to the anal area to lay more eggs. Eggs get to other people by direct contact.
What Causes Pinworms?
Worms namedEnterobius vermicularis, about the length of a staple, usually spread when children touch their hands and anus and then touch something else.
What Are the Symptoms of Pinworms?
Itching around the anus or buttocks (especially at night) is the most common symptom. Others include irritated skin around the anus, restlessness in infants, trouble sleeping, and itching in the area of the vagina.
How Are Pinworms Diagnosed?
The health care provider will take a medical history and do an examination. Because worms usually move around at night, the best time to check for worms is a couple of hours after children go to sleep and right after children wake in the morning. Parents can use a flashlight to better see the worms. A piece of transparent adhesive tape placed on the anus can get some worms that are then looked at with a microscope.
How Are Pinworms Treated?
All family members will need to take an antiworm medicine. Creams or lotions may help with itching and irritation. Worms are killed in a couple of days, and itching should stop in 1 week.
All eggs must be destroyed. To do this, family members should wash hands and clean fingernails often. They should shower daily and wash the anal area carefully. Hands should be kept away from mouths. Hot water should be used to wash dishes, eating utensils, clothing, bedding, and towels. The house (especially toilet bowls, bathrooms, and bedrooms) and children’s toys should be cleaned with a disinfectant.
DOs and DON’Ts in Managing Pinworms:
- DOtell your children’s health care provider about other medical problems and medicines.
- DOcall your children’s health care provider if itching doesn’t get better after 1 week.
- DOhave your children take medicine as directed.
- DOteach children good hand-washing methods with soap after toileting and before eating.
- DOtell the school nurse or day care about the pinworms.
- DOkeep your children’s fingernails clean and short.
- DObathe your children and change underwear and bed linens daily.
- DOuse very hot water to wash dishes, scrub all washable toys with a bleach solution, and scrub toilets thoroughly.
- DOfollow up with your children’s health care provider after treatment to make sure all worms were killed.
- DOcall your children’s health care provider if anyone has symptoms again after treatment or side effects from medicines that don’t go away quickly.
- DON’Tlet your children scratch their anal area, suck their fingers, or bite their nails.
- DON’Tlet other children play or sleep over until treatment is over.
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