Worms!!!

[ifeelsosickworms]

Sorry for posting in AIBU but I am freaking out. We have had nightmare guests to stay for the last three days and the icing on the cake is that they have just told us that their little girl has worms.

I have checked and I see that you are supposed to treat the whole household if someone is sick. What should I do? Do my husband and I and my 6 month old all get treated now too??

What do I have to do to the house? Completely fumigate?? I feel sick...

There is nothing to treat the 6 month old. Ovex for the 2 of you plus clean everything

www.nhs.uk/conditions/threadworms/

Clean everything. Under 2s & breastfeeding mums cant take the medicine. When my 6 year old had it, the rest of us didn't get it so fingers crossed you'll be ok!

Disinfect all round the toilets, flushes, sink, taps, every door handle and any surface she was able to touch.

Boil wash all the towels, bedding & throws.

You can get treatment for yourselves from the chemist, remember and take the second dose 10 days later.

But this kid has been a nightmare and touched everything? So I guess I clean everything?

Also, if my son catches them and I can't treat them, what do I do? What happens to him?

It will be ok.

Worms can be picked up anywhere. Just touching a surface that an infected person has touched can transfer eggs.

Use a disinfectant on all surfaces she's likely to have touched. Wash bedding, 60oC kills eggs.

The key to preventing recurring infection is to get children to wear pants to bed and to put a tiny bit of Vaseline on the anus before bed. Then if eggs are laid they are caught, and the pants stop the eggs getting under fingernails.

Hand washing lots helps too.

Everyone should wash hands before the snack or eat.

It's a two week cycle. The adult worms will die and if you can prevent reinfection that's the end of it.

I'd do all this and take ovex but that possibly a bit OTT.

So I've been prescribed Ovex ( well a different brand as I'm not in the Uk)

The doctor said to give a dose to my 6 month old but everywhere I read it tells me not to give to a child under 2?

Should I listen to the doctor advice? Just not sure?

Food grade Diacometricious Earth is a very useful item for worms that lay eggs outside the body. If you use a little of this like talc in a child's pants or nappy and dust some in the bed it will desiccate the eggs so they cannot hatch. Many people use it as flea control and even bed bug prevention. Be careful not to scatter the dust to avoid inhalation which can irritate some. A lot of people around the world actually consume this to prevent internal parasites and farmers swear by adding it to animal feed. There are many opinions as to its effectiveness but having used it myself for several years I can say for sure we have not seen a flea...and I have eighteen cats!
I once dressed the ground soil in my greenhouse and didn't see a worm or any other form of soil living creature for 3 years. It was amazing. No disturbed seedlings or nibbled stems and roots.
Its a horrible experience but it's so common, especially these days when people do not wash hands regularly and properly. Very few even wash salad veg. My mum used to say a dose of worms strengthened the immune system...not sure if she was right but we never got ill.

Listen to the Dr, op. My son was prescribed treatment at 10 months old. It's not licensed to sell over the counter but it can be prescribed.

Should I listen to the doctor advice? Just not sure?

Yes.

Have they treated the kid or was she treated before they came?

And also, try to relax. I know the idea of threadworms is awful but they're really not that big a deal. Treat, follow good hygiene rules, treat again. Job's a good'un (until next time 😉)

Thank you for all your advice...my house is clean now and will be cleaned again today..I am much calmer now!

I just wish the nightmares I've had that I have worms would go away 🙈

I’ve was about to clean a skid mark I left in the loo last week, and noticed something move. Yep it was a worm! I felt really dirty and invaded!

You can get something over the counter to treat them. Change your bedding and towels and put them on a hot wash. Clean your house from top to bottom. If there’s anyone else living with you, they need to take the tablet too.

It’s very common - nothing to be ashamed of if you have caught them.