I think we've got the worms...all advice welcome!

[UnknownGnome]

Dd (4) complained of having an itchy bum in the middle of the night recently, and, while she hasn't complained about the itch since, she keeps needing to go for a wee in the night which isi unheard of for her.

I got the idea of worms in my head so started checking her poo but never found anything so thought we were safe. I did try to have a look up there with a torch after she'd gone to sleep but she always woke up and got quite distressed (can't think why !)

Then I felt a wriggling sensation in my own backside. Did the old sellotape on the anus trick and found what I believed to be a worm stuck on it when I took it off.

Now I'm STRESSING!!! Does this mean the eggs are everywhere in our house? We all wear knickers and pjs at night, but will they still be all over the bedsheets?

I got thet dcs throoughly washed this morning and put clean clothes on, then dd went and sat on her bed. So have I now sent her to school covered in eggs???

I've bought a family pack of worm tablets which I'm planning to take tomorrow as that's when dh gets home (figured we should all do it at the same time otherwise iti may be ineffectual)

So tell me, if we take the meds, and I clean the bedding and towels, is that enough? Or does the house need some proper industrial cleaning??

This is just awful. Give me nits any day over these bastards. I'm a bit concerned that dd may have a vaginal infection hence the night-weeing. So I'll probably need something extra to treat this, won't I? Do the worms meds even get the ones living in vaginas?

So many questions and so much angst! Sorry to ramble on and on. This is a milestone I was never too bothered about reaching!!

[racingheart]

Hideous but very common. Real faff to get rid of though. Boil wash everything. All bedding, towels, rugs, underclothes, PJs. Hoover like a demon. Damp dust every surface in the house, especially bathrooms and bedrooms. Cut everyone's fingernails very short and make sure DC wash hands thoroughly before any contact with food.

Family dose then another family dose in two weeks. Meanwhile DC should always wear pants under their PJs.

Only bothered my DC once. We nailed the little beasts. They didn't come back. Same with nits. If you demon-clean they don't stand a chance, but it's tiring. I remember boil washing bedding and towels every day for a fortnight just in case.

[Lillyaan]

School and Nursery toilet seats are notorious for passing on thread worm infection.
Also if infected it's important to scrub home Toilet seat and inform school or Nursery of same. Ensure all household individuals follow strict toilet hygiene especially underneath nails.
No need to fumigate furnature, clothing or bedding as worms only live in their own warm and wet human environment or on excrement left on T seat.

[UnknownGnome]

Thanks for your replies. I've changed the bedding, towels and dusted.

Taken Ovex.

I've still got an itchy bum

Bedding should, technically, be fine if people don't scratch, shouldn't it? So if the kids are in onesies, thre will be no way for the eggs to get out of their pants, will there? I'm just trying to convince myself that I don't need to change beds too frequently because I'm struggling to keep on top of the washing. The washing bit is fine, but getting it dry is a freaking nightmare!

[Elibean]

UG, sympathies - but no, dd won't need different meds if they have strayed into her vagina. Ovex will get 'em all, it just takes up to 48 hours to work.

dd1 had worms once at least - and a friend's ds had them on holiday when we were all sharing rooms and bathrooms - in both cases, we washed linen, towels and clothes, treated, changed again a couple of days later, then let it be. Re-treat the family in two weeks' time, and change stuff again when you do - then relax.

We did clean bathrooms, hoover around kids' play areas and beds - but no damp dusting, no manic cleaning, no boil washing (I found a website that says you really don't need to boil wash, normal hot wash is fine).

Oh - and bag up any cuddlies that sit on/in beds, or wash them. After 3 weeks, eggs would be dead.

[Elibean]

ps if everyone is in onesies, or pants and PJs, bedding should be fine. Wash bums in the morning for a day or two, then they should all be dead. I would go through a milder version of everything in two weeks when you re-treat.

DO re-treat though - that is by far the best way to stop them coming back!

[Theas18]

Treat it with meds, short scrubbed nails and pants at night.

Like headlice it'll recur. Stress not about it!

[UnknownGnome]

You've reassured me a lot. Thanks. I think we've done all we need to do until the re-treatment then. Washed most stuff, bagged up toys, cut nails, encouraging kids to keep their hands our of their mouths.

Not much more we can do...I don't really want to be cleaning like a maniac for the next two weeks!