Pinworms, pleeeeeease tell me there is something to to prevent them!

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I'm at my wits end. DD (10yo) has had them about 8 times in 6 years now. I'm so sick of it. I should have shares in Vermox at this stage!

The first time she got them I wanted to rip all my skin from my body and I don't feel any less dramatic and horrified this time. I do everything I'm supposed to do, clean the house, dust, wash everything in hot water, treat the whole family, we all know about personal hygene, the incessant hand-washing, no nail-biting, dd even has a small bottle of hand disinfectant in her schoolbag but she's still getting them

I've written to the school head who issued an information page to all parent on how to properly treat an infestation but obviously not every can be bothered to insure they treat it effectively or are treating at home but not advising the school and so the cycle continues.

So I realize I can't stop the spread of it outside my own family but wtf else can I do to stop dd getting them. I thought about treating with vermox every 8 weeks just to be sure but I doubt that's safe to do. I've heard garlic is a natural remedy so I'm buying odourless tabs today and I've just seen something on the internet with a weird name abbreviated to DE (something Earth) but it's also used to treat animals and in farming so doubt I'll be dosing dd with it.

Has anyone heard of or used an everyday supplement or anything that can inhibit their growth before they start to come out at night, the little b**tards

HYCH
TIA
Yours, fedup mum.

Is she putting her fingers in her mouth a lot? Even if the whole school is infected she should not keep catching them unless she is constantly re-infecting herself

Hi, thanks for replying.

No definately not. She would have done years ago when she was younger but now she's so stressed when she gets them that she's very careful about hand-washing, nailbiting, licking fingers after food and stuff. She knows this is how she could end up with them again.

Thing is the eggs are so microscopic and light that they can be disturbed by movement and float and then be inhaled.

It's not very pleasant for boys but for girls it is much more stressful given their anotomy and the fact that the female worms migrate and can end up in the uterus. Poor dd is so distraught. I feel so bad for her but I can't do any more than I'm doing it seems. There is nothing out there that can prevent them only treat a confirmed infestation.

does she have access to pets?

Your poor dd, sounds so upsetting for her (and you). I've read threads here on MN where people have mentioned homeopathic remedies to discourage/prevent worms, and I know grapefruit extract is supposed to deter parasites - its strong stuff though, so make sure you read all instruction carefully.

Maybe try a homeopathic website??

FWIW, I think Ovex (mebendazole - same as Vermox, I presume) is pretty inoffensive, hardly any of it gets absorbed by the body - it stays in the gut and gets expelled with the worms. So frequent treatment maybe not so bad.

Hi, so sorry I've not been back before now.

Nightcat we have three dogs but to the best of my knowledge albeit gained from the internet, pinworms only effect humans or at least cannot be passed from pets to humans though I'm open to correction on that. Our dogs are regularly wormed though and show no signs of having them ever so I'm not convinced it could be them.

Elibean thank you, I'll certainly be asking the pharmacist about grapefruit extract. Have been looking for something homeopathic but to no avail. They're gone for now but I'm so aware that the cycle could still continue if I've over looked any little nook or cranny. The more I think of it the more I'm leaning towards regular treatment of vermox just need to ok it with the gp first.

Thanks for all replies, much appreciated.