Threadworms

[Thepressuretofindaname]

Please could you help a debate between my husband and myself.

So, my 3.5 year old has had threadworms, they appear to have returned. I recognised the rolling and scratching last night. I want to medicate (she has already had two doses) As they seem to have returned twice within a week each time I was proposing we medicate today and then in a week before we go on holiday so hopefully we break the cycle. My husband doesn't like medicating so much (he is concerned re side effects especially as he has fatty liver and raised liver enzymes the meds are not good for his liver) which I understand, so I propose doing one more dose as she is displaying symptoms.

The problem is she is catching them at nursery and bites her nails so they will keep returning. My husband's thinks we then need to just accept that she will have them. I don't think we can do that, it's unfair on her and not a nice thing to live with. However it is coloured by the fact that I am phobic of worms so do struggle with them. My husband is of the opinion that I am obsessive about this and going too far - I have been following hygiene guidelines because I just want them gone; I asked chat gpt for the best plan and have done what I can although tbh not all of it as it's a lot. I've washed bedding, bums, towels and cleaned loos, toys that I could and hoovered/mopped when I could but not daily. I do wash my hands a lot - I had worms I pregnancy and could not get rid of them so now I struggle with them.

I'd like your thoughts, maybe two treatments in the next two weeks is too much although I did clear it with the pharmacy (the doctors surgery sent me to them for advice,i only asked the docs to make sure it was safe) but i don't think wanting to get rid of them and have some kind of treatment plan is obsessive. I also don't think I'm alone in finding them disgusting and not wanting to live with them.

I'd appreciate others input on this, thank you.
And also love to hear how you would handle this with regards to treatment now and long term.

Thank you.

You say they have returned twice within a week? It does actually take 2-3 days for the medication to work so are you sure this is worms “returning” or is it actually that the meds have not yet taken effect?

You should medicate and then wait 2 weeks and give a second dose. This is what actually works with the worms’ life cycle - it takes 2 weeks for eggs to become adults so the second dose kills any that were eggs at the time of the first dose, before they can reproduce.

I wouldn’t give a second dose any earlier than 2 weeks, there is no benefit and you risk missing some if you give it earlier.

Keep her nails really short also, so she is less tempted to bite. You could try using “no more nails” which tastes bitter. Or maybe coloured nail varnish (child friendly version) might make her less likely to bite.

Oh and you and DH need to take the medication too. Sorry

Keep the nails really really short and scrub them with a nail brush morning and evening.

Yanbu for insisting on everyone taking the meds till they're gone - I'd be the same.

Agree with minipie, have they actually returned or are they just not all died off yet?

id be reluctant to give additional medication to my 3 yo just because of my own phobias. My dd gets them, terrible at hand washing and fingers in her mouth. I can’t stand them or the additional work but I wouldn’t give her more of the medication that advised. They take time but each time they have eventually cleared up. Everyone in the house also takes the medication.

Id be speaking to nursery, ask them what additional cleaning they are doing and asking them to notify parents that there are worms in the class and to check and medicate where necessary.

Are you sure they are from nursery, incubation period is 3/4 weeks (I think) each time my DDs got them has coincided with events we’ve attended.

If everyone in the household hasnt taken the treatment (even if you don’t think you have them) and followed very strict hygiene routines for a few weeks you won’t clear them I’m afraid. They’re tough little things to get rid of.

My DD was a thumb sucker and got them every few months. She gets very distressed by them (TMI but they always wriggle up into her vaginal opening), whereas rest of family barely notice. Since she stopped sucking her thumb (age 7) we only get them once a year or so. Medication always stopped them straight away, re-dosing only seemed to buy us a month or two extra time, so she must have been picking them up from outside the home (school, garden, park etc)

Also agree with notifying nursery! Some parents will not be aware their kid has worms as not all know what to look for and some kids don’t feel the itch .