Delicate subject but advise needed.

[Flip]

My ds is five and every evening and throughout the night he is waking up screaming with an itchy bottom. This had been going on for a couple of weeks now and on Monday I went to the GP's and explained what was happening. I suggested that it might be worms and she agreed and gave us all some medicine to take. How soon should the medicine work? Is two days not long enough? Does the medicine kill them or only stun them. My mother told me that in her day the medicine only stunned them and you had to go for a poo to actually get rid of them. Well ds1 only goes one a week if that.

Last night he was screaming so much that we gave up using the sudocream and used preparation H instead. It does say on the box that it isn't recommended for children but all concerned were at their wits end. Do you think it's safe to use preparation H on him and when would you go back to the GP and say it's not working?

I'd go back to the gp and ask for another course of treatment. If it's worms, you really need to hot wash all the clothes he's been wearing, and his bed clothes when you start the treatment and the day after too. Also, make sure he washes his hands really well for the next week or so, and under his nails etc. Otherwise he could reinfect himself with dirt on his hands, worms in his sheets etc.

Forgot to say also, if you need to you can buy the stuff straight from the chemist without going to the GP. Coincidentally, I had to buy some recently (for someone else, who was too embarrassed!), and there were two, one which was one pill, and one which was two - you take one two weeks after the first. The chemist said the 2 week one was a lot better.

My brothers used to get these quite a lot for some reason and we were always given a tablet called ovex - you have to treat the whole family - you can get it over the counter without a prescription (if they are thread worms) - get two lots take one now and one in a couple of days just to make sure they are gone!

And wobblynicks is right - wash everything on a high temperature and I would hoover and scrub the mattress too just to be safe (although I am a freak with things like that so it may not be necessary!!)

If it's worms, I think you shoud be able to see them in the poo. If you can bear to look.

You can buy OVEX over the counter. Everyone in the household has to take it (they come in packs of 4 tablets), but you can't take them if you are preg. It is a one pill, one off system and we have used it with no probs.

Try not to be embarrased, worms are SO common in little kids. Especially boys who are generally very grubby handed at all times !

I wouldn't use Prep H as it's for piles and he doesn't seem to have them.

Sorry Twinkie, have repeated your advice ! That'll teach me to just read the first post !

I haven't seen any and that's what's bothering me. He still wears nappies at night and I keep looking. Also he only washes his hands when I make him and the rest of the time he sits there sucking his thumb. He's a typical boy and this problem seems to have occured since he confessed to playing down a grid at school. Should the treatment have worked straight away? Is it safe to give another course of treatment so soon?

Ask your pharmacist, they'll be able to give you the best advice.

The treatment will not work.

These are actually depressed Glow Worms that have lost their way.
Place a light near your sons itchy bottom.
The Glow Worms will see the light and remember their former glory and come out!

p.s. best to use a candle as it does take them awhile to catch on...

They might be hard to see on a nappy as they are often white. Better to spot them in a poo. Or sometimes you can see them actually emerge from the child's bottom if you are quick when they get itchy.

Sorry to be graphic!

Thank you glowbuster, I'll hold a candle to his bum tonight.

just phoned up my ds2 head teacher and told her he has worms and am taking him to the g.p this morning,to see if she could send a note to other parents to be on guard and she said yes I will try to find a note but we have never had them here before.I feel really pi###d off.More like I am the only parent who has bloody cared enough to inform the school

flip - search through old health threads on this site - there are quite a few about getting rid of worms.

happycat - lots of parents would rather people didn;t know I guess. at least you are being responsible.

We found worms in DD's bum night before last and i was mortified. We gave her an ovex as she wouldnt drink the pescription stuff and last night she was fine. we have treated whole family just in case and i changed her bedding etc and wont let her wander without a nappy, but i think the ovex must have had an effect immediatley as shes so much happier.

We think dd got them from the garden as she is always playing in the soil

Happycat - well done you for informing the school. The place is probably overrun with them if school has that sort of attitude! People are a lot more open about headlice nowadays, but worms are still taboo.

Ignore what she said, and give yourself a pat on the back.

thanks rosin I was about to loose my faith in human kindness. I thought I was doing the right thing because I would of like to have known if it was going around so I could keep a watchful eye on my children.Spoke to a friend today and she said the same thing that maybe they have never heard of it in the school but perhaps I am the only parent responsible enough to come forward for the children sakes.I am feeling a lot better now thank you all