Worming your kids regularly - is this a thing?

[ScotInExile]

Recently having a conversation with a fellow school mum who told me that, on the advice of another mum, she has been regularly giving her children a worming treatment 'just in case'. Is this a thing now? I've only heard of giving worming treatments when there is a known case of worms but she does it monthly. Is there any harm in doing this? I don't know what the active ingredients are but could there be harm in putting them into your child on such a regular basis? I've never treated my child for worms, I've never had to, so I was a little shocked that she is treating her kids in the same manner you would your pet dog. What do you think? Have I missed a vital parenting lesson somehow or is she being a bit overcautious?

Never heard of regular worming of kids

There’s no need because children have symptoms when they have worms. I doubt it does any harm but I can’t see the point - it’s not preventative.

My Mum used to do this, she used to do a lot of weird unnecessary things though. Never heard of anyone else doing it. Can't imagine it does someone's insides much good.

I’ve only ever wormed my cat, but get hygiene practices are even lower than the DC’s !

That’s bonkers. Even my dogs, I only worm if they have symptoms. That stuff can’t be harmless.

Any drug with effects, has side effects. No unnecessary medication in this house.

Totally unnecessary . Our house hold has had them twice in 8 years and the symptoms are noticeable.

Also giving a tablet alone is not enough to stop the cycle . You have to wash bedsheets every other day, wash toys , get rid of sand , play dough etc. Boil wash towels after every use. Wipe down furniture . Then after two weeks you take again to break the cycle. The eggs can live for two week so soft toys can be put in bin bags in the loft for a few weeks to kill the eggs rather than wash.
Worms are a nightmare but thankfully only an occasional pain.

Mine are in their 20s. Never wormed them ever. Neither have they needed to be.
Not even the cats!
She's a weirdo wormer

Raver84

You're talking about pinworms I think. You're quite correct.

Roundworms and hookworms are rare in developed countries with good sanitation and proper food handling and cooking practices.

I would not recommend routine deworming "just in case" unless it was recommended by a provider. I cannot speak to worms specifically, but I do know that antibiotic overuse has led to antibiotic resistance and we have also seen similar problems with other parasites and pests. (We now have lice that are resistant to permethrin and mosquitoes that are resistant to DEET.) This mum could well be setting herself up for problems.

Good point agnurse, she could well be reducing the effectiveness of the treatment for future infestations.

Thanks for your replies, glad to know I'm not the only one thinking this is unusual and unnecessary!

I cannot speak to worms specifically

It would be great if you could, you could just ask them politely to stay away from the kids

Goat

OP is your friend a vet?

I very regularly deworm my DCs. They get a monthly spot-on which also works for skin parasites.
It works great.

Are you a shepherd?

You can only "de worm" if they actually have worms @Clandestino

We've had worms but have just taken the medicine and washed the kids bedclothes. Not the rest of the hoovering / wiping stuff. And cut their nails!

@WipsGlitter
I said DCs as in dear cats. They need a regular preventative treatment because they hunt and eat the mice and rats.
I wouldn't even think about treating my DD (dear daughter) for worms as a preventative measure. That's just plain stupid.

At DC's last school they were hot on this stuff and we had to provide parasite tests when asked (only once thank goodness), and stay off until treatment was completed for head lice or worms or anything else transmissible - but even they didn't suggest regular worming tablets!

Sorry I saw DC and thought "dear children"

This is definitely a thing in warmer parts of Australia. Bloody worms are rife here!! Either regular worming or as soon as there’s a behavioural change (most common first symptom I’ve found), tummy ache or itchy bum it’s straight to the worming chocolate - fantastic that the medicine is made in a square of chocolate!
First time I noticed them I informed the teacher and she laughed - it’s so common here there’s no letter to parents or anything. Everyone just keeps the chocolate squares in.

We spent most of last year having worm tablets - school was rife with it and I think we had them about took the medicine about 5 times. They are an absolute flipping nightmare!!

Interesting HPandBaconSandwiches, I'm in Aus though not in the warmer parts, maybe it's an Australian thing? I've never heard of regularly worming your children before but there's at least 2 school families that I now know of that do it. Maybe I need to ask others at school if it's the norm...

I’m in Aus too! Sydney though so maybe it’s not as wormy here. Mine have had worms twice but the symptoms were so obvious (itchy bottom at night) that it wouldn’t seem worth treating them if they didn’t have them.