12yr old dd keeps getting threadworms !

[Izzy123lo]

My 12yr old dd keeps getting threadworms. She has had them about 5-6 times in the past year ! She has tablets for them but I just want to know why she keeps getting them ! Her younger sister has had them a few times.

[Fairylea]

The best way we got rid of them was by doing the following -

Wash all bedding and underwear and pj's at minimum 60 degree wash

Change pj's daily.

Wash hands with antibacterial hand wash after every toilet trip and every time they come in from being outside anywhere.

Wipe down all surfaces with bleach solution including door handles and light switches.

You will also need to repeat the ovex dose as in the packet - I think it's every 2 weeks until the cycle is broken.

[Tuhlulah]

Hi, this may be a bit late to add, but:

All the family need to take the worm tablets. You need to treat the whole family because one of you may have it and not know, or it may be getting passed along with the eggs in different reproductive cycles. So everyone takes the drugs, and repeats too. Wash all bedding, towels and underwear/pyjamas, at the hotted you can.

Plus nailbrushes and antibacterial washes.

My DS had worms when he was about 6. But that was because he was playing in the mud in the school fields, as you'd expect from a 6 year old boy. However, your DD is 12. Where is she getting the eggs from, do you think? Does she do some activity where she is in contact with soil or other places where she may be getting the eggs into her mouth -this is usually through the fingernails I think. She could be just reinfecting herself in the home, or it's being passed along through family members. Or through a close friend.

Have a look online at where the eggs live, and think if she is coming into contact with them.

Good luck. Horrid. Ugh! Poor DD.

[mathanxiety]

Want to second what Tuhlulah and Fairylea said. Whole family needs dosing, and it probably needs to be done twice, either at an interval of one week or possibly two, read the packet.

Everyone in the family needs to be careful to wash properly with soap and water after touching their bum even(maybe especially) to scratch, or wiping after both poo and pee and after coming in from outside. All fingernails need to be trimmed and nailbrushes pressed into service. Anyone caught picking their nose needs to be stopped.

Everyone needs to be careful that underwear is placed carefully in a laundry basket and not flung on floors or beds, etc. when it is taken off. Whoever does laundry needs to use rubber gloves to handle dirty laundry. Hotwash for all bedding -- entire house, sad to say. Also, all floors need to be wetmopped or vacuumed thoroughly, and things like the loo handle and the TP holder need thorough washing too. You can put toothbrushes through a cycle of the dishwasher to clean then thoroughly, or buy new for everyone. Wash combs and hairbrushes too.

If the DD isn't yet taking a daily shower now is the time to do that and pay attention to her rear end when washing. Separate towels for all family members and only use once, then hot wash.