7yo DD has worms and can't sleep I'M SO FUCKING TIRED...

[plipplops]

I know most people posting under sleep will have babies so I'm sorry as you probably haven't slept well in ages. DD has worms and this is the 4th night of her and I getting 5-6 hours a night as she's so uncomfortable (writhing around and crying). Treated her on Sunday tea time but the crappy medicine takes days and days to work. Tonight we've been up since 2.45am and I'm just hanging. DD2 who's 6 has been up too - I think she's jealous as she thinks DD1 has just been getting a treat staying up late, think she's probably asleep in my bed with DH now (so if DD1 ever does go to sleep I need to turf the little one out of my bed before I can get back in it). It's 5.45am now, they need to be up at 7.30-8 for school so if she's going to go back to sleep I wish it'd happen soon

[hoppus]

Worms are terrible little bastards. How rubbish for you both. Liberal amounts of sudocreme (vaseline probably the same) seemed to help my toddler with the discomfort when she had worms.

[Rosa]

Might be yucky but why don't you fish the buggers out with damp cotton wool then apply vaseline then pants over that ?
The longer they are in circulation then the more eggs they lay and the longer it goes on. Also change the meds or do 2/3 days of the medcine then a break and again after 14 days ?

[plipplops]

Thanks both. Got her back to bed about 6am so managed about an hour's sleep before I had to get up again. In 4 episodes have only ever seen one actual worm on her bum so can't fish them out. Have been smothering her in cream and giving her ibuprofen and some piriton to help her sleep (as long as it's before about 2am as she's got to be up for school). Gave her Ovex on Sunday and will give her another dose after 2 weeks, is there any point giving her more than that? I've been trying to decide whether to just give her a dose every couple of months as she gets them about every 3 months, but I don't know if it'd help - need to do a bit more research when I'm more awake!

[plipplops]

Quarter past 4. I have no idea if it's even that bad or she's just in the habit of waking up, thinking it's a tiny bit itchy and coming to me. DD2 was up straight away as well so I've stuck her in my bed for 10 minutes. DH has a massive interview tomorrow so I really don't want to bother him (he's said he'll do any nights from tomorrow though so at least this is the last one I need to do. I've told her she can't just come downstairs and watch tv for 3 hours but if she goes to bed and is just thinking about her bum and wriggling about, neither of them will sleep

Aaaaaaarrrrgggghhhhh! I'm trying not to cry or have a go at them as I know it won't help, but I really have no idea what to do

I'd said I'd take her to the doctors if it was bad tonight (this is night 5) but it's definitely getting better so I just can't see what they're going to do. FFS.

[Notmeagain1]

Oh your poor dear and poor dd. If she I is getting them so often, I would definitely see the gp. She must need something stronger and a longer dose or dose her for much, much longer as they are not clearing up completely so the eggs keep hatching and recurring over and over.

I do hope you get her sorted out soon so you both can get some rest and unitchy bums. You really need to stress the importance of proper hand washing and keeping her fingers away from her mouth unless she has washed thoroughly. Clip her finger nails as short as you can as well.

I would be vv concerned that they recur so frequently. Good luck and hang in there. for you and for your dd.

[MortaIWombat]

You poor thing. Lack of sleep is a killer. Don't kick me, but are you absolutely sure it's worms? Was the one you saw moving? Do you see them in her stools when she goes to the loo? Maybe it is something else/habit waking. It's so difficult when they're small, and can't properly explain how they feel, but I'd expect all worms to be gone after three nights post-Ovex.

Best of luck.

[lougle]

For girls, it's often in the vulva. DD2 (7) is a hand-sucker and chronic victim.

What works for us:

-immediately examine vulva for worms and remove it. Not pleasant, but in doing so there is usually only one and once it's out it can't lay more eggs.
-wipe area to remove any eggs.
-immediately dose with ovex
-sudocream
-clean pair of knickers

We couldn't wait for medicine to kill them because the worm slime makes DD2 so sore she bleeds.

Long term, we have drastically reduced the incidences of worms by insisting that the very last thing DD2 does before getting into bed is to wash her hands thoroughly. We can't stop the hand sucking -it is subconscious- but at least the hand is clean.

[CaroleService]

Get some Metanium. The wriggling and tickling is caused by the worms coming out to play. The thick yellow Metanium stays thick and barrier-like; it doesn't just get absorbed like vaseline or sudocrem. The worms can't get past it.

[plipplops]

Thanks. Last night she had a long bath, I put some Epaderm (emollient cream) on it and told her she had to go back to sleep which she did. I waited outside their room and read a magazine for 25 mins to check she was asleep. This was a big improvement on previous nights which is why I think it's worms? Since it does get better over the days from treatment? The one I saw wasn't moving, and no I've never seen any in her poo though? Will try and get her a doctor's apt today for after school for a chat. Will get some Metanium for next time anyway as a precaution too. And insist on a big hand wash before bed as well.

[lougle]

DD2 never has any in her poo. We catch it at the first worm. Apparently it's only female worms that come out of the anus and it takes 1-2 months from the moment you swallow the eggs for the female worm to get to the end of the anus and lay eggs again.

[plipplops]

Quick update - the doctor said there's not much they can do now (since she's def on the tail and of it) but if she gets it again to do the sellotape test (basically stick some tape on her bum and send it off where they test it for eggs). He said there's no other medicine they could give her, so really all pretty unhelpful :( She's gone to bed fine tonight, and now DHs interview is done he's getting up tonight if anyone needs to. Doc did say that treating her every couple of months wouldn't do any harm, and the info he gave me said they can live 5-6 weeks in the gut before they lay eggs.

So we're going to treat her next week (2 weeks after first dose), then I'm going to give her some Ovex every 8 weeks going forward and see if it helps. Since she's been getting them every few months for a year we should see pretty soon if it's helping! Will report back in 6 months or so...

Thanks for all the replies, it's nice to have some support

[Sleepytea]

Will she eat pumpkin seeds? They can help prevent worms. Raw carrots are good as a preventative measure as well.

Dd had worms a few years ago. We treated the whole family the same day, a week later and 2 weeks later. We were all extra thorough with hand washing. Bottoms were all washed in the morning - adults had showers, kids used wet wipes. All underwear was changed in the bathroom and floor mopped daily for the first week. I bought a bag of pumpkin seeds for snacking on through the day. Using this regime we were successful in getting rid of them.