Threadworms desperate help

Helpmehelpmeplease · 2025-01-07T19:17:03+00:00

A few days after christmas ds (5) complained of an itchy bottom. I looked as he slept and he had threadworms. I washed everything on a boil wash, bedding, towels, cuddling toys etc I also started itching, at first it was psychosomatic, however after looking with mirror on a night I realised I also had thread worms. I have given ovex to both me and ds, and was going to give ds another after 2 weeks. However ds is now complaining his but is still itchy 😭 tonight while he sleeps I will check his bum again. Every morning I have been washing his pj's and bedding on a hot wash, and I have been doing the same, with my pj's, and I gave us both ovex when I first saw the worms. I was waiting for 2 weeks for us both to take another ovex, as it says on the in instructions I feel like crying knowing ds is still complaining of itching. I will check his bum again tonight. He's not sleeping at all bless him

Tireoutrrr · 07/01/2025 19:19

We’ve been through this, but sadly you have to wait for the second one as the medication can be tough on their liver (someone medical will correct me!) but that’s what I was told.

You will probably find that they’ll be gone by the second dose, but it’s a tough wait.

Keep on washing everything - and morning showers for your DS to wash his fingernails and bottom! (As the scratching happens in the night).

Is he a nail biter?

Original poster

Helpmehelpmeplease · 07/01/2025 19:28

Tireoutrrr · 07/01/2025 19:19

We’ve been through this, but sadly you have to wait for the second one as the medication can be tough on their liver (someone medical will correct me!) but that’s what I was told.

You will probably find that they’ll be gone by the second dose, but it’s a tough wait.

Keep on washing everything - and morning showers for your DS to wash his fingernails and bottom! (As the scratching happens in the night).

Is he a nail biter?

Edited

Yes he is a nail biter, but I always have tried to keep his nails cut short to avoid this. Obviously it hasn't worked! Yes I wouldn't give him the ovex before I am medically allowed, but it just so awful. He's not sleeping well, and I can tell he is just isn't himself really if you get me. I will continue with all the washing, even though it's driving me slightly insane 🤣 yes morning showers

OP posts:

Dachshund40 · 07/01/2025 19:36

Pants on under his pjs to stop him scratching his bum in the night and then putting hands near mouth face can help stop reinfection. Hoover the bedroom and bathroom floors and mop any hard floors, also any cuddly toys on the bed need to be washed on a hot wash and preferably tumble dried if you can.

Tireoutrrr · 07/01/2025 20:33

Helpmehelpmeplease · 07/01/2025 19:28

Yes he is a nail biter, but I always have tried to keep his nails cut short to avoid this. Obviously it hasn't worked! Yes I wouldn't give him the ovex before I am medically allowed, but it just so awful. He's not sleeping well, and I can tell he is just isn't himself really if you get me. I will continue with all the washing, even though it's driving me slightly insane 🤣 yes morning showers

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Mine was (is!) a nail biter too and used to get them and it is awful!

You could give him some calpol to help him sleep?

Also - I got my DS a children’s chew necklace that I boiled / put in the dishwasher every night to stop him biting his nails during the worst of it. It worked to stop the nail biting! I didn’t want the chew necklace to be a permanent solution because I’d rather he chewed on the natural thing of a nail than plastic (silicone). But he was getting worms so often from school when he was reception / year 1 because of the shared toys. It sort of broke the cycle of him constantly getting them.

MoonAndSaturn · 07/01/2025 20:50

One of my DCs has had worms quite a few times. She seems prone to them and very sensitive to them. She's always able to feel them crawling rather than felt itchy and I think we've always been able to catch them early. They've generally always cleared up with the recommended dose of ovex and hygiene measures.

However, there was one occasion when she felt and we found another worm a week after taking the first dose of medicine. We all took a another round of medicine then and followed up again a week later (so three doses in three weeks). A pharmacist friend told me they'd heard of some cases when people had been prescribed to 4 doses in 4 days for severe cases, so I don't think there is too much to worry about in taking an extra dose.

LouLou198 · 07/01/2025 21:02

A dose on discovery, a dose a week later, then a dose a week after that was successful for my dc.

Original poster

Helpmehelpmeplease · 08/01/2025 07:10

MoonAndSaturn · 07/01/2025 20:50

One of my DCs has had worms quite a few times. She seems prone to them and very sensitive to them. She's always able to feel them crawling rather than felt itchy and I think we've always been able to catch them early. They've generally always cleared up with the recommended dose of ovex and hygiene measures.

However, there was one occasion when she felt and we found another worm a week after taking the first dose of medicine. We all took a another round of medicine then and followed up again a week later (so three doses in three weeks). A pharmacist friend told me they'd heard of some cases when people had been prescribed to 4 doses in 4 days for severe cases, so I don't think there is too much to worry about in taking an extra dose.

Thankyou, I wonder if some children are more susceptible to it than others? I have a 19 year old dd and she never had them as far as I am aware. Ds has had them multiple times now. Dd did seem to get nits a lot though! I think it must come down to nail biting. I have bought one of those necklaces @Tireoutrrr referenced

OP posts:

Fifiellz · 08/01/2025 07:43

A big blob of vaseline or sudocreme on his bum, cover with pants if he is still itching.

It stops them laying eggs on the skin which is what causes the itchy sensation.

Cookerhood · 08/01/2025 07:54

We had trouble with this. DS was a thumb sucker. We also had Ovex weekly for 3 weeks.
Do you have other family members? They also need treating as they may be symptomless.
(And calpol won't help him sleep, it's not a sedative).

Tireoutrrr · 08/01/2025 17:54

Cookerhood · 08/01/2025 07:54

We had trouble with this. DS was a thumb sucker. We also had Ovex weekly for 3 weeks.
Do you have other family members? They also need treating as they may be symptomless.
(And calpol won't help him sleep, it's not a sedative).

I didn’t recommend calpol as a sedative - I know it isn’t one, it’s paracetamol - I meant for the pain!