To ask if there have been threadworms in your child’s class?

[Anxioustoday]

Help! I’m finding this a bit difficult. My DC has just started reception and we’ve received a message from school saying there are several cases of threadworm in the class. Already!? Several!? They have only been in a couple of weeks. We are very clean and hygienic, and I struggle with this sort of thing. Can I ask if you have had this in your child’s class at school? Is it that common?
We never had this in nursery and I’m sure it would have been more obvious there if it was present, because the kids are still in nappies or needing their bottoms wiped. Please no horrible responses about how I need to be less precious. I find this stuff challenging.

Please vote: YABU: I have had threadworms in my child's class. YANBU: I have not had threadworms in my child's class

[edited by MNHQ at poster's request]

Mine have both had them a few times but I've never told the school. They're very easy to treat. I think some kids don't get as itchy as others so they can easily spread.

Thanks for all your replies and reassurance. We are such a clean household, keep everything spotless, change PJs daily, shower/bath at least daily, me twice daily. Change sheets twice a week. That’s normal for us. But we both work, DH full time, me almost full time, and we already have 2 under 5, plus I’m pregnant... and the thought of doing even more cleaning and hygiene stuff is maddening!
I hate this sort of thing, esp as no matter how clean we are, we can’t necessarily avoid it!

Very common OP, one of mine got worms the same weekend we discovered the other had nits. Obviously the nits were discovered at 6pm on the Sunday evening with very little shops open round here they’re both at primary now and I keep Herdrin and ovex in the cupboard at all times......

Unfortunately worms do find their way into the cleanest of households. You can't keep little kids from putting things in their mouths and touching surfaces. It's ok though.

You are focusing too much on being such a clean household, maybe some related anxiety? Kids get them, many will not wash hands properly after toileting, then put those same hands in their mouths, hold hands with friends etc. Treatment is quite simple and can be obtained free of charge from chemists in the UK. For yourself being pregnant a telephone consultation with your gp would probably be required to see if they feel it would be necessary to treat you. Otherwise change bedding, pyjamas and underwear daily and wash the clothes on a 60 degree wash.

Your being a super clean household won't stop them from getting lice, that is the risk we all take when we send our kids to school. You can only be diligent if you need to treat which you sound like you would be.

We had them over and over in reception probably from one child who wasn’t getting treated. But never had a letter home. I’d say you are lucky that there is a responsible parent reporting it and also school trying to do something about it. It’s very common problem. Also don’t read up on how hard it is to treat, just give the medicine and repeat as needed. I got freaked out and started washing everything in sight daily...nearly gave myself a washing induced breakdown! Don’t be like me

I don't think its a reflection of how clean your home OP, I'm pretty sure its rife in most schools. Nits seems to be a bit less stigmatized these days but TW are not, therefore, very few people admit to it.

A couple of years ago we got it so I went into a cleaning frenzy. It was then half term. Then two weeks after they went back one DC got it again. Two weeks is the life cycle time span of TW btw. Sent me round the twist.

The DC are a bit older now so it wont happen as much - little children who still put everything in their mouths are more prone to it.

My ds got them after he got into the disgusting habit of chewing the sleeve of his jumper...

Look OP it's got nothing to do with how clean your home is. I'm fastidious and my DC have had them loads- it's pure luck.

Supercali *
Mine have both had them a few times but I've never told the school.*

Why wouldn't you tell the school? The whole point of telling the school is to ensure ALL the parents know to treat.

Some children may have them and not have many symptoms so parents wont notice to treat, and then they can spread. People like you are why the infestations just circulate constantly.

Definitely not uncommon; I caught them as a university student living in halls of residence and at the time it was put down to having worked a lot with children - I was a brownie leader and on placement in a primary school twice a week . I vividly remember the horror as it was suggested all my flatmates should also be treated as we shared one shower between 7 ... they weren’t ever informed iirc .

GP said primarily oral faecal spread ie hands not washed thoroughly enough after toilet allows eggs to get onto hands, which then contact all manner of things and easily transmitted to the next person .

Mebendezaole (I think) cleared it up . Did also boil wash as much as I could .

My teenager has them at the moment. She had never had them before but in December she got them from school. She was in year 11. She said the toilets were rank and there was never any soap. We cleared them. She has been back to school 4 weeks and has them again. She said she has been using the same toilets as before and washing hands before and after toileting but clearly she is picking it up from other surfaces. I have now given her a packet of wipes so she can open doors using them and she has her own soap in her bag.

Cassgate
Does she have long nails? Get her to cut them right to the quick. Long nails are terrible for spreading threadworms

Thank you for all your comments. It’s not that I believe by being so clean, we can’t catch them, it’s more that we keep our house so clean and we are already very hygienic and I wouldn’t want to impose any more hygiene on my kids, without making them bonkers, esp since COVID. Also being pregnant really doesn’t make it easy as I can’t take the treatment. It’s just annoying, why do these things go round so much, why don’t people treat them and eradicate properly?
My mum raised a large family and none of us have ever had head lice or threadworm. Why is it so prolific?
Even more annoyingly, I asked the teacher how many kids are affected and unfortunately she won’t tell me. Irritating as it would be helpful to know how much of a problem it is in our class, and knowing the number wouldn’t breach anyone’s confidentiality!

But thanks all. You’ve given me some perspective which is really helpful.

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

Supercali * Mine have both had them a few times but I've never told the school.*

Why wouldn't you tell the school? The whole point of telling the school is to ensure ALL the parents know to treat.

Some children may have them and not have many symptoms so parents wont notice to treat, and then they can spread. People like you are why the infestations just circulate constantly.

No. You don't treat for worms on the off chance that they might have them because another child in their class has them. If they start itching you treat your children /household immediately with medication, wash all the bedding and pyjamas and remind everyone about handwashing, nailbiting and general hygiene.

I've never known anyone to tell the school that their child has worms. It's not "people like me" causing the infestation its kids being kids.

The worst places for spread of eggs is stuff like sand pits and Play Doh. I have also read that about 50% of all schoolkids have them at any one time.

Some of the posters on this thread are treating nits and worms in kids as some sort of moral failing on the behalf of the parents. It's really, really not. Just treat them with treatment if appropriate or using the hygiene measures (condition combing or hot washing depending on nits or worms) and get on with life.

And please don't, as a PP suggests, waste the GPs time when you or DC haven't even bloody well got them. The NHS info on threadworm is clear enough.