Worms?

[SilveryMoon]

My 6yo has been complaining that his bum hurts.
The past few days he has been scratching and saying it itches etc. I've had a look but can't see anything wrong, looks normal.
If he had worms or something, I'd be able to see it wouldn't I?
What should I do about it? He is quite distressed.

Not sure if it's relevant, but he has also been having some bad tummy pains accompanied by a high temperature. This has gone on for just under 2 weeks. Have taken him to the doctors about the belly pains and temperature and they aren't concerned.

[SilveryMoon]

No. Whose bright idea was it to have children?

[WallyBantersJunkBox]

Great news Silvery.

We have a verruca and a UTI to deal with now!

It never bloody ends does it!?

[SilveryMoon]

Fingers crossed for you Wallace I've just checked ds1 and can't see anything. He said earlier that the big itching is gone it's just a little tiny itch left

[WallaceWindsock]

Don't think it's anything shes eaten, we don't have seeds etc in the house. It's possible she's been eating candles or bouncy balls again (don't ask, I despair ). Checked the area twice last night and couldn't see anything. I guess I just need to keep an eye on her poo and see. Crossing fingers it's something odd she's eaten.

[SilveryMoon]

I haven't seen anything in the poo Wallace. Have you checked her actual area when she's sleeping?

[duchesse]

Are you sure it's not sesame seeds or the like, Wallace?

[WallaceWindsock]

Right, I've today noticed pale specks in DDs poo. Could this be worms? It's the second time this week I've noticed it so am sure it's not a food that's coming through undigested as she's eaten different things every day this week. Can someone describe what I'd be seeing in her poo if it were worms?

[NotAnotherPackedLunch]

Do they have onsies that they can wear to prevent them scratching and spreading the eggs?

[SilveryMoon]

Thanks gamer ds1 says babywipes sting. He has really suffered bless him.
Going to keep with the vasaline for this week and then see where we are from the weekend. Really hope they're going

[gamerchick]

*ovex

[gamerchick]

It is the glue that causes the itching. . Baby wipes help.

They're a pain in the arse.. We've had to do deworming recently as well.

I Get the bottle of over to keep in the cupboard for next time. It's good for 6 doses.

[SilveryMoon]

He has carrot sticks in his lunch box a few times a week. I cook a lot at home, pasta sauces and stews etc so there's garlic in lots of stuff.
I use the precrushed frozen stuff so maybe I could just rub that round him

[WallyBantersJunkBox]

That should help.

You're not quite at the garlic clove stage yet!

Can you try and add some carrot sticks or grated carrot to a few meals? In vinaigrette salad for example? I've read a few reports that they absolutely don't like it. Garlic consumption the correct way round too....

[SilveryMoon]

I've covered him in vasaline tonight.
Yeah I read that they excrete a sticky substance that itches.

[unlucky83]

Oh Silvery - poor you and poor DS ...
(And you really aren't skanky - or if you are there are a lot of us in the same boat)
If you can bear it you could try to physically remove any you see - and maybe wash his bottom
(Don't know if it true but read somewhere it isn't just the actual worms that make them itch - the worms release something that is itchy too...)
And hopefully the Ovex will see them off soon ...good luck

[SilveryMoon]

Spoke to soon he's up now quite distressed

[SilveryMoon]

Thanks Wally
There doesn't seem to be any there now phew

[WallyBantersJunkBox]

No you're not skanky in the least.

[SilveryMoon]

All true unlucky
Thanks again, I do feel better hearing all of this from other people, makes me feel that I'm not a skanky cow

[unlucky83]

Honestly I don't do the bedding washed every day etc for 2 weeks anymore - (do the bottom washing and frequent hand washing)- I did for years and it like I said they just get them again at school
I do for the first couple of days after treating though ...doing it less often seemed to make no noticeable difference to how soon they got them again ...5-6 times a year!
DD1 stopping her nail biting has made a big difference - we only had them twice last year -and second lot was within a few weeks of going back to school after summer hols!
I think you can only do your best - and just be prepared to treat regularly - they got them from somewhere - and have been passing them on to their peers before you realised ... would imagine only a matter of time before they are back - especially with such young children who you can't stop sucking fingers (or scratching bottoms!)

[SilveryMoon]

unlucky83 Thank you for that. It was about 3 weeks ago that ds1 got a fever and was screaming about belly ache. When it got to week 2, I tok him to the gp, but they said it was normal. It was only on this friday that he started screaming about his bum hurting.
Ds2 always has his hand in his mouth, have been telling him for years not to do it which is why I bought him baby-teethers etc to chew/suck. He's 4!
Maybe I'll also go down the route of treating every few months for this.
I also read that eggs can be air-bourne which is a pita. I usually just dry dust, and how am I supposed to keep toys etc properly clean? They have so much stuff it would take me hours to wipe it all down with a wet cloth regularly!

[unlucky83]

Worms are the bane of my life...if you have a DC who is a nail biter/thumb sucker you are fighting a losing battle...
You can tell the school - but IME nothing much happens ...once they have them in the class you are almost guaranteed to keep getting them...
They think 40% of children have them at any one time - I think it is probably more than that...
(I can't believe your GP didn't think about worms)
Most important thing is washing hands before they eat/fingers go anywhere near their mouth...
Put them to bed in pants, wash bottoms in morning.
Clean toilet flushes and taps etc - damp dust bedrooms, wash bedding daily over the next two weeks (apparently you can inhale them too)
(although I would be pretty sure you could just tumble dry bedding on refresh and that would kill any eggs)
Treat again in two weeks...
Get them to tell you if they have an itchy bottom...probably TMI but if mine say they do and I can't see anything I will get them to 'pretend to push a poo' -then often you will see one just inside...by the time you see them in their poo they will have lots...
Also you can probably get Ovex for free from minor ailments - treat the whole family a (I bought some too - so I have some in the house to treat straight away) -if they struggle with the tablets there is a banana flavoured liquid my DD2 loves
Nothing to do with bad hygiene etc - they are easy to catch and easy to spread - most parents aren't on the look out for them...
(my life has got easier since my DD1 (12) stopped being a nail biter - up to then it was more or less constant...)
BTW more to do with other children in your DCs school rather than your cats...
If you can bear it tell as many other parents in your DCs classes you can they have them...I do that with a couple of other parents in my Dcs class - would rather a letter went home to all parents - get the whole school and their families treated ...rant rant
(I posted on here last week - whether to get my DD to change her homework - she had to say what she took medicine for - she said worms in her bottom - in the end I bottled and got her to change it )

[SilveryMoon]

I bought some worming sachets for the cats today duchesse The pair of them are a nightmare to get hold of to flea treat or give tablets too, so powder mixed into food is the way I go.

Ds2 just went to the toilet and I was wiping him, I saw one on him. That's the first time I've seen them during bowel movement time.
I didn't think ds2 had them, he hasn't shown any symptoms at all, unlike ds1 who has been really poorly!
I suppose that means we do all have it

Thanks for the reassurances

[duchesse]

Fleas are used by tapeworms only as a vector, not ordinary cat worms. (I've been on a worm crash course in the last month) As far as I know most cat worms won't transfer to people but apparently they can inadvertently use a human as a host, where they don't tend to settle in the bowel which is not hospitable to them but in other places such as the nose. I'm not taking any chances with the tapeworm, even if it is of the cat variety.

The cat will be regularly wormed and de-flead from now on.

[WallyBantersJunkBox]

To be honest I just stood DS in the bath and showered and hand soaped his bottom on some mornings during the two weeks we went through it.

Everything you are doing is fine. As said, keep nails short and hand washing regular. Kids are exposed through shared toilets in schools and nurseries.