Worms?

[TOTU]

Sorry, I've done a search on the forums and Googled etc, but nothing seems to match what I've seen so I wondered if anyone can help. It's the weekend and no doctors are open.

My 7 year old son had black underpants and I noticed some... 'things' when he changed them. They were white, not egg shaped, and about 2/3mm long.

He has Special Needs, autism and leukaemia. He answers every question with "I don't know" and is not able to explain if he is itchy or in discomfort. I can't examine his poo as he covers it it reams of toilet paper and won't allow me to look.

Soooooo, is this a sign of worms or something else? I'm reluctant to take him to the NHS Walk In Centre today as he goes through more than enough already and strange places freak him out.

Arrrrrgh! Help! Please.

My son had a very itchy bum especially att night. Suspected worms and when i called gp i was told just to go to pharmacy for over the counter med, no examination/ prescription needed. I never saw anything but because ds2 could communicate well we might have caught it early. Bedding and clothes were boil washed and nails clipped. One off tablet and it was sorted (never told him what it was - would freak him out too much) We were asked if he was on any other meds or suffered from asthma, proper pharmacist will make sure there's no conflict of meds.
Hope you can sort it easily too and wish you son a speedy recovery from the leukaemia x

If they were wriggling, then worms - though could equally be teeny bits of loo paper rolled up, iyswim. I've found those in dd's pants on occasion, when she's been a bit overly enthusiastic with the toilet paper and its got 'stuck' on her bum - I suspect.

I definitely wouldn't bother with the walk-in place - if you're unsure, and want to eliminate worms from your enquiries, I would simply give him some banana flavoured Ovex liquid, or a pill if he's able to take them, and change his sheets/towels/PJs. Repeat two weeks later.

But honestly, if they were not moving, and just lying around in underpants, they don't sound like any worms I've ever heard of. My bet would be toilet paper filaments...

Thanks both of you for your feedback. The things definitely were not moving. They looked like grains of rice.

He slept with me last night and he wasn't itching at all.

He is an over-wiper. We go through toilet roll like you wouldn't believe.

I didn't go to the walk-in centre. I'm going to see what his underwear 'reveals' tomorrow.

The joys of parenthood eh?

as long as the over counter treatment doesnt upset any other medicaiton i would just give him a dose.
My ds also has autism & isnt able to tell me & wasnt scratching. I was told to wait until he's asleep & shine a torch on his bottom.
The worms come out at night and can be seen around the anus.
Sure enough there they were. Almost like little bits of white cotton.

Could it be tapeworm? One of the symptoms is segments like rice grains in underwear.

Tape worms break up Into segments and look like grains of rice.

Threadworms are very common. They don't always wriggle.

I've read an awful lot on the internet about threadworms, pinworms, tape worms, roundworms and nothing I've come across adds up to what I found in his underwear. I read that Tapeworms pass segments into your poo, not visible evidence in underwear.

Is anyone able to provide a link that mentions rice-type thingies in undergarments?

I'm going to have to take the torch approach tonight aren't I? He's a really light sleeper, very chubby from the chemo/steroids so his backside isn't that accessible without him waking up. .

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Has he been ill?

Ds had rice like poo a few months ago from a tummy bug. It just looked like rice down the toilet.

Sparky No he hasn't been ill but his chemo meds make him ill. He gets the runs, is sick, etc.

I've just done the torch test. It's threadworms I think. i'm going to call the Oncology unit tomorrow and see what is safe to give him that won't affect his other meds.

Bloody hell. I know it's only worms but he's been through enough. It's extemely hard to get medicine down him (he's used to chemo meds now though). He won't swollow a pill and he is very very wise if I try to get him to swallow any med other than his normal ones. He just spits it out.

I need a

You can get medicine for thread worms that comes in a tablet that you can either chew, swallow or dissolve in water. Its orange flavour! We have all had it

Make sure you do everyone in the house and change all sheets, pj's etc.

. Downs in in one, but stops at one glass because she is a boring old fart good girl

However, he does like orange! So that's a bonus, and the weather is meant to be good tomorrow so it's a good time to wash beds, etc. I've just done the torch test on the other 2 and they seem to be free of them.

Did you have to get the chewable/dissovable (sic) medicine prescribed? I'd prefer not to have to go to my docs.

No i bought ours at the pharmacy.

It was this one I think. Just ask to make sure you get the right one!

Thank you so much. You've been really helpful.

No probs, I hope you get it sorted. :)

TOTU
it was the one occasion i was pleased my ds has autism, at least i knew he wasnt going to go to school the next day & tell his teacher "I woke up last night & mummy was shining a torch up my bum"
I did tell the school though as i needed to make sure he was washing his hands properly, they were very good & had a bit of a hand hygiene purge.

TOTU - you can get Ovex for threadworms over the counter, you can get liquid if taking tablets is a problem. Best to treat the whole family. I noticed DS had them because he doesn't flush the loo so I saw them in there - he had no signs of itching etc and neither did any of us in the family but it soon transpired on closer examination that we all had them (sorry if TMI!!!). Chances are if one of you has them, you all might!! You take one dose then another 2 weeks later, and be very careful with washing hands etc in between. Best to check with your docs if he is taking other meds though.

Thanks for the replies surburban and slacklucy. MN's are so kind.

I rang the hospital. They told me Ovex would not affect his chemo meds so we bought a family pack of it today and I treated us all. (I told my other 2 kids it was vitamins).

I will re-administer treatment in 2 weeks. Boil wash everything in sight and hopefully never see the little buggers again!

It's very hard to persuade my son to wash his hands. He is phobic of many things: water, play doh, jelly.

But hopefully we've kicked the woms into space!

worms even.

Can you tell I'm tired yet?

TOTU - my DS2 has asperger's and hates washing his hands too, I cut his nails very short and used a lot of that sanitising gel stuff! Also, change PJs everyday and separate towels for everyone. It's a pain to deal with, but Ovex does work.

TOTU, Do hope those worms are well and truly kicked into space for your son. My daughter had been complaining of itchy bottom for a couple of days and when I looked today I saw a couple of tiny worms wriggle out . Doc prescribed vermox for the whole family, execpt the baby, and we've clipped nails, washing bedding, towels etc, lectured on thorough handwashing etc. Am trying to contain my "yuck" factor for my DD who is truly distraught and very very itchy - does anyone have any tips on how to relieve the itching until the medicine kills off these horrid blighters?

I'm kind of lucky that my son already bites his nails to the quick and we all use santising gel anyway due to his cancer.

Mac12 I'm still washing everything! .

My son didn't complain of itching due to his learning difficulties but when my other children have said they are itchy (for different reasons), they've always felt better after a bit of Sudocrem. This sounds awful, but I'd even put the Sudocrem on a paper-towel then run to use gel/scrub nails

It is hard to contain the '"yuck" factor.