Threadworms - think I’m going to give up

[Aboutreadytogiveup]

Just found a worm in child’s poo. Lost track of how many times this has happened. Have spent, quite literally, hundreds and hundreds of pounds on ovex over the years.

I’ve driven myself insane with hygiene measures in the past. We have four children and five bedrooms and a million stuffed animals and when I tell you the laundry/additional cleaning has very nearly killed me in the past I’m only half joking.

I’ve read everything there is to read about their lifecycle and treatment and incubation. I know how many children are currently infected and how easy it is to catch them.

I also know many families in my children’s schools do not dream of taking the hygiene measures I previously have. So I go to all these efforts to kill these current worms… and my kids are likely to bring home another cycle in a month or two. no matter what I do.

AIBU to just give up?

I'm in Wales so maybe this doesn't exist in England but our pharmacist can prescribe things like ovex under the common ailments scheme. We just need to walk in and ask to speak to the chemist. It's cheaper for the NHS than getting a GP involved I suppose. Pharmacists can 'prescribe' OTC medicines and then it is free

My mum never washed the sheets every night when we had them - special form of torture plus as you say eggs are all around in the environment - toys, in the grass, on pets

the game changer is (1) hand washing and nail brushing (the eggs get caught under the nails) and (2) stopping kids sticking fingers / hands in mouths. Be it nail biting, thumb sucking etc. I would also get an anti parasite tincture with wormwood / black walnut / oregano in it. It’ll be cheaper than ovex, plus may encourage them to wash hands as it’ll taste foul

Well, i did and it worked. No complaints here. Desperate times called for desperate measures. It was 1-2 centimeters of my gloved finger if anyone is getting freaked out.

You can just buy ovex at the chemist or online and get it delivered.

As an aside, I was thinking about worms the other day (I have no life), my MIL mentioned nephews had them and SIL had got some ovex.

I had worms for a couple of years as a kid, probably aged about 10-12. I never told anyone. I don’t know why I didn’t, I was a funny little thing. They went away eventually.

You’ve just unlocked a memory of a friend years ago, who used to make coconut oil suppositories, she would freeze them so they could be inserted for worms. She was from Thailand and apparently it was a remedy her family there used.

Just to clarify, at 1am I couldn't get the right words! I should specify "anus" as opposed to "rectum"

So how would you put a suppository in?

A suppository goes about 1 inch in. In France they're prescribed rather than oral medication for kids.

The coconut oil suppositories sounds great! You could make them thin. And if they were frozen they'd probably be quite soothing. I can't see why people are saying it's dangerous to put something in a child's anus. As long as it is for medical reasons and you are careful it's normal.

I know. One of my DDs suffered terribly from constipation as a toddler. The only thing that worked was suppositories that the dr supplied. I just had to use them so she could be comfortable. People are weird.

I wormed my kids like dogs

every term regardless if they had them

If what you’re saying is true, it’s bizarre, we’ve never had them. BUT HAVE HAD NITS ON REPEAT. Absolute nightmare. You have my sympathy OP. Kids are filthy is my conclusion.

Our kids have had them a few times over the years. We treat twice each time and seems to get rid very well. I wash sheets but I don’t go to all these lengths. I think there can be almost a frenzied anxiety that comes with it. They aren’t really that big a deal. Treat, retreat again and think about other things 😊

Has anyone got any advice advice with a recurring infection??
myself, DC5 and DH all took the standard 2 doses 14 days apart. Symptoms came back each time for myself & DC5. I have a 4mo old and so worried about him catching it, it’s driving me crazy! Not to mention all the extra cleaning/washing..

spoke to dr who just prescribed another 2 dose course (14 days apart) but worried this won’t work again.

any advice/tips is appreciated!

Yes. Do the course again and then work your children regularly like you do with pets. We didn’t bother to do ourselves as never seemed to get worms but I just gave DS a dose every month for a decent period of time. Then at the first mention of an itchy bottom we’d start it all again. Tbh I suspect that often they get reinfected at school etc. some people don’t get itchy so don’t always know they have them. The medication isn’t harmful. Just expensive! I think I the life cycle is around six weeks or so. Before we saw a worm I was convinced DS didn’t have them as could never see any and his bottom would itch for a few days and then get better for around six weeks or so when it would start again. Good luck!