Nephew has worms!

[bells987]

So (as the title would suggest!) my 3 year old nephew has worms. There is a family event this week where they are expected to have contact but I feel really anxious about it.
My nephew is particularly yucky when it comes to hygiene (extremely messy, dribbly) and tbh don’t think it’s completely possible to fully keep on top of proper hand hygiene with toddlers!
he has had a worming tablet but obviously there’s still a chance of re-infection. The thought of getting worms honestly makes my skin crawl also!
AIBU for avoiding contact this week?

Do you have children you are worried about getting infected or your nephew passing it on directly to you? If he has had a tablet I think you'll be fine. Just wash hands thoroughly.

I assume you mean threadworms, not tapeworm or something!

Yes they are horrible but they are very common. And often you’d be none the wiser. Are you normally anxious about these kinds of things? Do you have children yourself?

If you were worried about it you could take the worming medicine yourself a week later. But really there is a chance no matter where you go or what you do that you’ll pick up viruses or threadworms or anything. Better to live life and see people than worry about everything.

I think a lot of 3 year olds are dribbly and messy aren’t they?

It wouldn’t occur to me not to go - worms are very common.

You mean he has threadworms. Him and every other three year old, they are so incredibly common it's really not worth getting worked up over.

Just follow the guidelines of having short nails, washing your hands and not touching things and putting your hands to your mouth and you'll be fine.

Yes I have two young children myself so the worry is them getting it more than myself!

The absolute worse that will happen is that you'll get an itchy bum and have to take Ovex but that probably won't happen, especially as he's already been medicated.

It's really common, you'd just normally not know.

It's a really common childhood illness. The tablets work. Of you're worried, take one after exposure. However the likelihood is that kids at nursery /school have them and you have no idea.

They probably will at some point. I wouldn't stop them living life and spending time with their cousin simply because you're worried they might catch worms, by that logic they also won't attend nursery, visit soft plays or the park or ever go to school.

As I said encourage them to follow the guidelines of short nails and wash hands and if they get worms they take ovex.

At least they told you. There is no need to avoid contact and you won’t catch it from him being messy and dribbly. He’s been treated, you can wash your hands.
Your own children will probably pick them up from nursery or school at some point - it’s just a thing you have to deal with and it is treatable.

My child had them twice. So I obviously still had contact. I never got them

My nephew is particularly yucky when it comes to hygiene (extremely messy, dribbly)

You have young children and yet call a 3 year old “yucky”?

my DC had threadworms recently. Only symptom was an itchy bottom at night. We took the medicine the pharmacy advised, washed his bedding and it was gone in a few days. None of us caught it, including other DC. It wasn’t a big deal at all.

If you have children, you will almost certainly have had worms before.

Embrace the worms ! https://www.aithm.jcu.edu.au/can-parasitic-worms-protect-against-type-2-diabetes/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CParasitic%20worms%20are%20masters%20of,million%20Australians%E2%80%9D%20says%20Dr%20Giacomin.

Threadworms are very common amongst children so the chances are, your kids are exposed to infected kids reasonably regularly. Your nephew has, at least, been treated for it which a lot of kids your children come into contact with, won’t have been.

I mean, doesn’t every kid? At some point?

Also, I’ve never met a 3 year old who prioritises hygiene.

Youv just as much chance picking them up in the shops, park, school, soft play

yes. It’s a running joke in the family that he is particularly yucky!