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]

Oh God Wally No, definitely can't do that!

[SilveryMoon]

What about the actual duvet? I'll wash covers and sheets, hoover mattresses but duvets and pillows?

[SilveryMoon]

Anyone know how long the meds take to kill the buggers? We all took tablets today, I washed all bedding, towels etc and me and dcs went on an anti bac wipe spree. Been hand washing on the edge of ocd and I've just seen them on him now.

[ilovepowerhoop]

ovex takes a couple of days as it deprives them of food rather than killing them instantly

[WallyBantersJunkBox]

You might want to wash the duvets to be on the safe side.

Distressing if it comes back again, and a load of hassle.

[SilveryMoon]

Thanks guys.
You might be right wally I just have so much laundry now!

Just while we're on the subject, I'm feeling really paranoid that we must be dirty bastards.
The dc's bathe every other evening and I change their towels every 2nd usage. I change the bed sheets once a week, and hoover, mop etc once a week. My kitchen and bathroom are cleaned every day (bathroom in morning and kitchen in evening).
Is this not enough?

[Svrider]

Op
They've probably caught them from nursery/ school. Make sure they know to wash their hands after going to the loo

Make a note and make sure you worm your cats regularly as well

Your cleaning routine sounds fine

[ilovepowerhoop]

you do more than me but then I am a slattern

[SilveryMoon]

My cats are indoor cats, I hardly ever flea and worm them. I didn't see a need as they don't go outside......I will do it today anyway.
I read on the NHS website that threadworm isn't carried in animals, it's just human. Although the eggs can be transferred via pet fur and stroking.
My dc's are quite good at remembering to wash hands after the toilet, but they are boys, their hands are usually down their pants somewhere.
Fingers crossed it will all be over in a few days.
Last night was much easier, he said it itched a bit but not really bad

[FruitbatAuntie]

Sounds perfectly fine to me, OP. It's better than we manage most weeks. We've not had worms (yet, touch wood etc.) so I highly doubt it's your housework regime that's to blame.

I am very very strict on handwashing before meals and when we come in the front door from school, so my 7 year old does it without even thinking about it. He also constantly sucks his fingers without even thinking about it (hence the stringent washing and nagging). I'm amazed he's not had worms yet due to this habit!

[SilveryMoon]

Ds2 is a finger/hand sucker. He is 4.10. I recently bought him a baby-teething toy so he could suck and chew without doing it to his fingers.
We're all going to have to get up earlier to fit in a wash for them in the morning arent we?
I normally just have them get in the bath/shower every other night and then just hve a quick wipe down the evenings in between, but if the eggs are laid in the night, a wash must be had in the morning.

[Twighlightsparkle]

My child has frequent colonoscopies to check on a medical condition, I was mortified when the consultant said she had , had fun chasing worms! She then said it was really really common and most children have then recurrently through childhood, a lot of the time without symptoms!

We now treat the whole family every few months.

[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.

[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.

[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

[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]

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]

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]

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

[WallyBantersJunkBox]

No you're not skanky in the least.

[SilveryMoon]

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

[SilveryMoon]

Spoke to soon he's up now quite distressed

[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]

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

[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....