"Mum, I did a bit poo last night and the grains of rice in it were moving"

[RomComPhooey]

So said DS2 (7) earlier. I didn't witness the poo or the "grains of rice", but I wouldn't be surprised - his nails are usually filthy, despite repeated requests for him to scrub them. Are we talking threadworms? How can we check for them, apart from checking today's poo? And if it is threadworms, do we need to see the GP or can you buy the medicine over the counter? And is it one of those scorched earth things where we have to burn all the soft furnishings, medicate the whole family and dress in shrouds for a fortnight?

(I've tried googling for images, but it just pulls up all sorts of horrifying images which I will definitely not be showing DS2 any time soon. He's already howling at the thought of having worms.)

Oh FFS, typo in the subject. Should have been a big poo.

Just take his word for it and just treat. Go and get some ovex for the whole family. You can get tablets and syrup.

And treat again in a couple of weeks.

Thanks Gamer. Is it a prescription only medicine, or can we buy over the counter? I'd rather take it tonight if it's going to clear us all out - that way we can have a quiet day at home tomorrow.

Yes, Ovex (or Boots own equivalent which is the same) the whole family, give handles etc a good clean and wash bedding.

I just did tHis rather then a scorched earth policy and all was fine.

Oh, and trim and clean nails.

It's over the counter but I think needs to be a pharmacist.

I just buy it over the counter and keep a ready supply in the cupboard. They'll take a couple of days to die but they will.

Wash his bottom as soon as he gets up to remove any eggs and give handles and what not a damp dust as they're easy spread about.

Consider where they might have come from aswell, otherwise reinfection might occur. Threadworms are a nightmare!

*as soup dragon said ^

Errm mine have had threadworms it is very itchy and the worms look like wiggling threads.
I was always told that wiggling rice was tapeworm segments, might be worth a check as not sure if treatment is the same.

As he is at school, they could have come from anywhere. They haven't been a nightmare when we've had them, just an isolated occurrence.

I've just looked up tapeworm infection on NHS Choices and it says its so rare in the UK that the medication is prescribed on a named patient basis and the pharmacist may have to arrange for it to be specially made. Seriously, how likely is it be tapeworms?

Human tapeworm infection in the UK is incredibly rare and usually occurs in someone who has travelled overseas and eaten undercooked meat.
Threadworm infection is incredibly common one estimate suggest a third of the population is infected at anyone time.

Most likely threadworms. Have a look with a torch if you want to find out for certain, otherwise buy the ovex treat everyone wash everything and Hoover everywhere. Make sure you treat again with ovex in 2 weeks time or you'll likely get them again.

From your DCs description sounds like tapeworm not threadworm (tapeworm looks like rice, threadworm looks like thread).

Also threadworms = itchy bum

He often complains of having an itchy bum, so that fits with threadworms.

I would just dose him. I give DS the medicine whenever he complains he's itchy.

Right, I'm going to head out to Boots in a minute. Someone keep an eye on the Wales-Australia match for me...

Dose whole family twice with threadworms medication, you just buy it at any chemist. Trim and scrub his nails. Hot wash bedding, towels, pjs and underwear. Make him shower every morning and ensure he has his own towels. Vacuum daily especially his bedroom..

Thanks Penfold.

Do we need to strip our bed? DH and I don't have any symptoms.

Assume everyone has them, best to strip all beds and hoover. In our immediate family when we had them, two people were horribly itchy and the other two not at all. But on inspection, we all had the worms.

As a family growing up we all got dewormed together, so whenever the Cats were due theirs, unless there was an outbreak inbetween.

No not unless your son has been in your bed or it would make you feel better. Threadworms are horrid but harmless. Keep DS nail short and discourage nose picking or fingers in mouth. The medication will deal with but I would recommend the whole family taking it just in case.

We've all just chomped down the Boots chewable tablets and await threadworm armageddon. Will we see dead worms in bowel movements, or do they pass unnoticed?

Going on the NHS Choices website, which says adult tapeworm infections have to be treated with anthelmintic drugs, the Boots threadworm treatment should do the job either way - the Boots patient information leaflet says their version is Mebendazole (an anthelmintic).