itchy bum ...could it be threadworms?

[americantrish]

ds (3.2) has been saying his bum is itchy since yesterday. i've not seen anything in his poo.
how else can i tell?

[serenity]

They usually come out at night, so check after he's been in bed for a bit, but tbh if mine say they're itchy I usually just dose them without waiting for the 'evidence'.

[jetgirl]

If it is more itchy at night that's usually an indicator as that is when the worms lay their eggs.
Go to a pharmacist who should be able to help with medication (can't remember what it is called, but it is not too unpleasant to take).

[americantrish]

:nods: ok, will check when he's asleep. ugh. (luckily i can do this, dh is too squimish!)
can you get stuff over the counter or is Rx?

he has said it a few times in the morning and just now.

any other tips for dealing with them?

[MKG]

I've read that is put a piece of tape on their bum during the night the worms can get stuck on it and you will know for sure. Also has he been really wanting sugar. I've read that parasites for some reason make the body crave sugar.

[serenity]

Over the counter - Boots do their own tablets, little orange flavoured ones or the main brands are Ovex or Pripsen. I think you can get Ovex as a liquid in really big Boots (never seen it anywhere else) it might be an idea to treat yourself too. DD always manages to pass them to me.......

Wash all the sheets, bed linen etc, and don't share towels, but tbh it's one of those things that pretty impossible to avoid. Kids touch things, and put their fingers in their mouths. Make your DS wear pants at night, so if he scratches it reduces the risk of him getting the eggs on his fingers and then reingesting them. Gross, but i'd rather have worms than nits

[nappyneeds]

i read somewhere that more than 60% of the population have worms without even realising. I would take the necessary hygenic steps and take some medicine as a precaution

[chocolatekimmy]

Really easy to re contaminate after treatment. Adults lay thousands of tiny eggs at night around the anus. These can get onto anything, underwear, toilet seats, toothbrush, toys, carpets hands and anything then touched etc. They survive for weeks like that and once swallowed and in the digestive system they hatch and the cycle starts again.

The key is not to swallow an egg (easier said than done). The best thing is to wash bedding, wear underwear at night and change in the morning (wash too first thing in the morning). Also basic hygeine such as hand washing before eating or preparing food. Once infected, wash door handles, toilet areas etc too.

Medication will kill the worms/eggs inside the digestive system.

[americantrish]

i checked twice tonight and no visible worms. not sure what to think!! i found a website from NZ that also recommends treating the whole family... not sure to treat or to wait and talk to GP on monday :I

(ds was crying tonight before bed that his bum was itchy...sigh..may talk to chemist, not fair to ds...)


thanks everyone....

[serenity]

I'd honestly just treat him. It won't do him any harm if he hasn't got any (although I bet he has). It's only about £5 for a packet of 4 tablets.

[americantrish]

i looked one more time during the night and again this morning...saw nothing. we are going to treat anyway....

:I what about going to nursery? sighssighs...

(thanks again ladies)

[serenity]

Just send him, it's not something you have to keep them away from school or nursery for. You don't even have to tell them, although it would probably be nice to let them know so they can be really strict on handwashing etc.

[ghosty]

Oh our little wormy friends ... hmmm
DS has had them a few times now ... once he realised he could get them from his fingers it cured his nailbiting habit ...
If you have children that play in sandpits or in the garden it is pretty hard to avoid them.
I echo everyone's advice about pants in bed and washing bedlinen and scrupulous handwashing ..
But I would also say, treat the whole family often ... we do.
In Aus you can get these little chocolate squares that are worm treatments. I routinely give them to my children once every couple of months now and DH and I treat ourselves too.

[Tiggiwinkle]

Just to let you know there is a small chance it isn't worms though. My DS was complaining of an itchy bum a while back. I could not see any worms and because it was interrupting his sleep I took him to the GP. She gave us some worm treatment, but the problem continued. She then tried some combined antibacterial/antifungal cream which quickly did the trick. (I think he may have had thrush after a long course of ABs for scarlet fever.) So not always worms, even when it seems obvious!

[americantrish]

we did a lot of cleaning yesterday after treatment (laundry,hoovering,dusting,etc.) - treated me and dh, and i told the nursery (who have now asked me to get a letter from my GP saying its okay for ds to attend.)

oh if it is worms, he did get them from there most likely. but even though dh doesnt think i should have told the nursery

[serenity]

Can't believe they've asked for a GPs letter How weird, 90% of them have probably got them anyway!

[americantrish]

i didnt get to talk to my GP before ds was due to go to nursery on monday, so i called NHS direct who also confirmed it was ok for ds to go. so i just told the nursery that and it was okay. i did tell the nursery i wasn't %100 sure.

stranger yet is that the nursery head (manager?) told me that in the 14 years its been open, they've never had a case of threadworms!

[haleyhaley]

Hi ive had a very sore bum the past few weeks and it relly hurts when i go th=o the toiley although i cant see anything on the tissue, what are the symtoms??

[haleyhaley]

Sorry for the incorrect spellings i have been at work all night!!
If anyone could let me know of the symtoms i would appreciate it.
Really itchy bum, sleepless nights, and really bad tummy ache all time.
Do you reckon we've got the dreaded worm??