Threadworm aftermath

[SpirallingNighttime]

The other day I discovered I had threadworms. I treated the whole family and it seems to have come from DD5 as it was quite obvious in her stools a few days after Ovex.

I have OCD and anxiety so it's not been the best week for me.

I'm freaking out that we are going to be stuck with the things forever. 2 things that worry me:

• I don't think I "passed" many worms compared to DD, I could barely see anything in my stool so I'm worried ovex isn't working for me
• DD has been up for the last hour tossing and turning. She was waking up constantly the week before the discovery. She went back to sleeping through within 24 hours of Ovex, so I worry that her being awake now is bad news... (6 days since Ovex)

I've not had a proper night's sleep in 2 weeks between DC, worms and anxiety keeping me up so I'm on my knees.

Not to mention getting DC to change as soon as they wake up and to shower instead of bath has caused so much aggro and extra tantrums from the 2 year old.

I feel like im fighting a losing battle and this is going to be our crappy, unenjoyable life forever. No matter what I try she will just pick them up from school again anyway.

Any reassurance or tips welcome

That sounds really stressful. It seems like you're doing all the right things. She is unlikely to pick them up continuously at school. And you know what to look out for. You can then try and focus on the other things that help the anxiety for you. And insomnia and worry make everything feel worse but what,happened is a containable, treatable thing that will one day be an anecdote of childhood, nothing more

It’s grim, the whole idea of it, the extra hygiene and the lack of sleep but it is possible to knock them on the head. Yes, they are likely to catch them again at some point but I only remember it being 2-3 times and then that phase of life is over.

maybe you didn’t pass as many because you didn’t have so many? I don’t understand the shower rather than a bath, nhs website says bathe or shower. I spoke to a lovely nurse when I phoned and up about this with two preschoolers a couple of days before hosting Christmas for in laws. I couldn’t take the meds because of breastfeeding and youngest couldn’t take them as under one. The nurse read out all the hygiene advice, changing bedding all the time etc etc and then said that clearly I wouldn’t be able to do it all due to Christmas etc and I should just do what I could. It was enough. I seem to remember pants/nappies overnight, short nails and washing hands before eating main things for us and it cleared up. Good luck, it’ll pass!

Ps sleep suits/onesies good overnight so they can’t pick up eggs on hands.

Thank you so much both. Still exhausted this morning but spiralling a little less than in the middle of the night.

@Squirrelsonthescaffolding interesting you mention Christmas as I'm also worried about this! We've planned to go and see family and I'm freaking out thinking we're going to need to cancel to make sure we don't pass them on and it's going to be a lonely, miserable Christmas.
Did your in laws catch them?

It is so reassuring to know you were able to get on top of them even without the medicine.

I thought I'd read that baths can cause reinfection more than a shower would. They also usually like to have a bath together but I don't think I'll be comfortable with this ever again now!!

I would advise in addition to the ovex, washing sheets and all clothing on 60, vacuuming everywhere and also washing hands first thing in the morning, that you use Sudocream to stop the itching, it works a treat

The first time I did all the cleaning. I have 3 kids and OP, I did chill right out about it.

Some huge proportion of toddlers have them at any time. Ovex works really well. Worms appear to have some protective effects against things like hay-fever. I just can't get worked up about them anymore. Change the sheets, cut nails if you need to, maybe clean/freeze their favourite cuddly but no need to go insane. It's never not got rid of them.

It’ll clear up - you’re doing all the right things so trust the process. Ovex is excellent and you need to re-dose in two weeks. I De wormed everyone every 6 months throughout Primary school!

My dc were thumb suckers and nail biters. Worms were a very regular occurrence.

First couple of times I washed everything, damp dusted,fresh towel daily, wash bum on waking etc etc as well as everybody taking ovex.

Then I realised that actually all the extra washing made absolutely no difference at all and just taking ovex was fine.

I did all the cleaning the first time... but a decade on and a bout every couple of years since and honestly you just give the Ovex, wash the sheets, hoover and it'd done.

You definitely don't cancel trips at Xmas etc. This would definitely be a case of your OCD and anxiety causing an issue for your children, not the worms. You need to be kind to yourself and try and get some sleep.

Unfortunately parenting when you have these conditions can be really challenging. You might want to start thinking about what further support you might to put in place to cope better.

Treat everyone and then retreat in two weeks and then you catch them if they were at egg stage at the first treatment. We never did anything more.

Gosh these messages are so reassuring and lovely I'm a bit teary! I've been so fed up with it all, DH has gone out with the kids and I was going to start damp dusting all the toys that I didn't get a chance to do earlier in the week and was so overwhelmed at the thought. I think I might sit down with a cuppa instead and have a minute of peace.

DH doesn't share the mental load of these things at all and has just been rolling his eyes and huffing and puffing at it all which makes it worse, I feel like I have 3 kids to look after!

Thank you MN for the reassurance!

We only did ovex & sheets, no recurrence. 6 people.

Another here who went absolutely mad about cleaning the 1st time they were discovered. All soft furnishings went out in the shed for 2 weeks etc. I was so anxious and grossed out by them (whole family had them). Dc had one re infection and I figured I will probably just ovex us all once every 6months or so. I certainly don’t bother mad cleaning but I do wash bedding and underwear on 60. They are a fact of life with young children and eventually they will stop getting reinfecting when they wash hands properly. Apparently about 40% of children have them at any one time. They are harmless and I’ve found I’m less worried about the grossness now.

It will pass, but it's awful! I understand your anxiety. Spend today on washing bedding and towels on a hot wash. Tumble dry too if you can. Wipe down toys, wash stuffed animals. Anything that cannot be clean put in a bin bag and quarantine for 2 weeks.
I know it says re-treat after 2 weeks but when mine were little I always treated after 1 week as well - this seemed to really do the trick.

We do have parasites all over our bodies. Granted you wouldn’t want a massive infection but there is some evidence that they can have a beneficial effect. That’s another thing that makes me feel better about them

Also look at which foods might be helpful:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322714#home-remedies-for-pinworms

This is how I feel. I've heard some people are more susceptible to them and I remember having them a lot in my childhood and my daughter gets them now (and I get them too!) but my son doesn't seem to.

Do what you're doing but try to remember that your OCD is turning a normal childhood thing into a drama that it's not. And I say that as someone who has OCD.

Unfortunately its part of life with kids. We only had worms twice both times just treated whole family on discovery and again 2 weeks later. Never did every 6 months. Washed all bedding on 60 every week till after 2nd dose of treatment all sorted.
You have no need to cancel Christmas at this point

This. It'll be ok op.

Similar to others over time I lessened on all the extra cleaning and just took the basic precautions.
now the slightest sign of an itchy bum in anyone and I give everyone the ovex (or boots equivalent) and that sorts it out. Now you know what to look out for (the squirming and waking in the night) you’ll be able to recognise possible signs earlier and nip it in the bud. (Butt? 😆)

I did all the cleaning too the first time but don't worry any more. The kids sleep in pants every night, regardless of worms, as well as pyjamas, and hopefully this contains it a bit when they do arrive. I don't then worry about their cuddly toys, excessive hoovering etc.

Don't worry too much about what you actually see either. I have never seen more than one or two, and rarely in stools. Friends have horror stories about worm-filled poo. I think some people are just way more sensitive to whatever it is that creates the itch (its a secretion I believe, not just the wriggling). You are probably more sensitive than your DD.

And as PP say, it will pass. At 15, DD doesn't get them any more, just DS(6).

My DD had them quite a lot in primary - you don't need to get them to wash/shower first thing, just do the 2 doses of ovex and wash the bedding. Maybe also let the school know so other parents can check?

Really don’t worry. Like nits they circulate round nursery and reception classes, but after that they stop. (I did worry that the late night chemist was starting to recognise me after my various trips for post bathtime supplies of nit and worm treatments and calamine lotion.)

They are easy to get rid of as an adult. A couple of times I have had that tell tale itch. First time a nurse friend correctly advised that if you don’t scratch (pants in bed do the trick) you soon break the cycle.

There is research that suggests they are good for developing immune systems. Parasites are as old as time. These ones, if you treat promptly, are harmless.

Truly I’ve never done any of this with threadworms. You just take Ovex and then again in 2 weeks and wash your hands. Never washed anything other than sometimes bedding if I have time. Never seen a worm in poo. You’re overthinking this. The meds kill them if you take them properly. We live on a farm and get them annually usually. It’s really not a big deal and they are easy to get rid of. Never even had them reappear after 2 weeks but we do the 2nd dose for the kids anyway.

So good to know most of you relaxed on the cleaning the second time and got the same end result.

I can't wait to be super chilled next time (whilst hoping there won't be a next time, at least for a while!). DD is a thumbsucker so we've done well to avoid them for the first 5 years.

I am grateful our experience wasn't as grim as I've read about online with a mass exodus of dozens of live worms, so there's a silver lining! DD always wears pants + pyjamas in bed which maybe limited the damage. But then I still managed to catch them from her so....

I did let the school know right away and they sent a note round so hopefully others can be on the lookout.