Threadworm hell - when did it stop for you?!

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I am interested to hear from seasoned parents about when their children finally outgrew threadworm infections. I am currently at my wits end because my DS (10) has had recurrent threadworms for the last year. He's always seemed a bit prone to them but this time I really don't know what to do. I follow all the advice re medication for all of us and hygiene/cleaning etc, all of which used to work when he was younger, but this year we just can't get rid of them. I know it's reinfection because of the timings of the infections - on this occasion (discovered this eve he has them yet again) he's only been back at school for 3 days since the summer hols so I can't even blame the school, he must have been reinfected at home. When you research online, there are hundreds of people who say they've had them for years, even most of their lives and can't get rid of them, which is terrifying. I am going to speak to our GP to see if there's anything else I can try but just wondered if anyone can share what worked for them and give me any hope that my DC will stop getting these bloody things at some point?! Anyone?? 😭

Are you sure you cleared the infection each time - have you checked his poos and seen the dead worms?
We only finally got rid of our son's worms by him taking ovex pills twice a day for 3 days, after extensive googling. I was the only other person in the house that caught them, and mine resolved with a normal dose but his persisted for a long time until we blitzed them.

Cost me a fortune in pills.

He always wears pants at night.

I give him the normal Ovex dose every couple of months even if he has no symptoms, as a preventative measure.

@paranoidmumdroid1 thank you for replying! I'm assuming we clear the infection each time just because he no longer has symptoms and there's no sign of the worms - until 3-6 weeks later when they appear again. I'm just a bit confused as to why all the meds and cleaning methods that used to work now don't seem to be enough. He also wears pants at night always and like you I've also started to dose more regularly. I'll have to just see if the GP has any advice. It's very depressing. This particular problem always seems to tip me over the edge a bit!

@paranoidmumdroid1 oh and good tip about the dosing blitz. I will run that past the GP - the medication really is expensive, which adds another layer of aggro! 🤦🏼‍♀️

We had a nightmare with them a few years ago. Dd and myself suffered the most.

We all took medication more than what was recommended (pharmacist suggested this - every 10 days I think)

I then realised that I was probably reinfecting us via the laundry. I became a bit anal for a couple of weeks but my schedule was -

Everyone wore pants and pj bottoms to bed. Me and dd put vaseline on our anus before bedtime (vaseline stops the eggs floating off in the air).

All nightclothes taken off in the bat tub first thing and put in a plastic bag. Me and DD washed our bums & legs before getting dressed.

I put pjs, pants & towels straight into the wash. I wore a mask when loading the laundry and washed my hands, wiped down machine button.

Wiping down all door handles with dettol.

Bedding washed each day or placed in bin liner if I didn't have time.

We haven't had them since and both dcs are at primary school.

I always make sure to wash my hands after loading the laundry - i'm sure my lack of hygiene was the reason for the reinfection 🫣.

@Doyoumisswordpaperclip I am sure you are being a little hard on yourself! Impossible to know for sure why these things persist. Thanks so much for your tips. The cleaning thing is so stressful because you do as much as you can without being sure if it's enough, it's just stabbing in the dark essentially. And when it comes back it's hugely dispiriting because all that work feels like it's for nothing. It really isn't possible to sterilise everything in the house every day forever. I just don't know what the answer is - my sister and I never once had these growing up and I think I was only vaguely aware of their existence until DS started getting them and then I caught them from him. He's been getting them 1-3 times a year since he was 4 until this year when they just won't go away. It's absolutely miserable but this little bit of solidarity does help and makes me feel less of a leper! I will try everything that everyone suggests that we're not already doing. Thank you! X

We only got rid of them after 6 months of recurrent infection by taking a tablet once a week for four weeks and following the hygiene advice. Taking a dose and then waiting two weeks before taking a second just isn't enough.

I've heard you can use coconut oil suppositories. You have to make them I think in the freezer. The oil suffocates them inside your rectum. And they can't get back in again.

wash the door handles,
all common areas,
cut nails,
pants at night.

shower every night

They have a pretty long life cycle so by the time you're getting symptoms you've had them for a few weeks. I did all the same things as you but also realising where I was getting them from (the children I worked with, not my own children). I think, realistically, they're far more common than we think and a lot of people (mostly kids obviously) have them without realising. I now do a just in case ovex dose every school holidays but maybe in your case do it every 3 weeks for a while even if you don't have symptoms? And if you can, talk to parents of your kids friends because they probably have them too

I think definitely some people more prone
I would just try taking the tablets or liquid frequently every week.
And buy food grade diatomaceous earth and have some in a smoothie or with water every two days. People say it doesn't work but when you're desperate you'll try anything. It sheds the lining of eggs

We stopped getting them when dd3 fell out with her best friend majorly and they no longer have sleepovers. You can sort your end out but not the places they go 😬🙈 I don’t miss that friendship!

Thanks for all the tips so far, much appreciated. x

i really feel for you they’re just awful. I got them for the first time in my life from someone else’s child about 7 years ago. I did the Ovex and got rid but they came back 6 months later! Then for the next 5 years they would return every 6-9 months, it was so odd, the doctor gave me really strong meds and they would go, then sure enough 6 months later I’d get that awful tickle. Anyway, I was at my wits end when someone suggested I see a naturopath and do a parasite cleanse. It was a 2 week course of disgusting herbal liquid twice a day, but it worked! It cost around £80 but it was worth every penny. I’ve been clear for over a year now, thank goodness.
just to say, I believe that is wasn’t reinfection, as there was no way they were living that long outside my body, and no one else in my house would catch them, including my partner. A bit of a mystery but very glad I managed to clear it up.

Trouble is everything touched has to be cleaned , so all toys , handles , light switches , boil flannels , renew washing sponges , toothbrushes etc . It's an impossible task .

keep hands away from mouth,
wash hands before eating.

@bowtieandheels thanks so much, really appreciate the words of sympathy! I know in the scheme of things it's fairly small fry but when you're dealing with it and nothing is working it is pretty upsetting. Very interesting to hear about the naturopath thing, I will look into it - although wonder if it's OK to treat children with something like that. Would certainly have a go myself though. I am fortunately not catching them from DS every time he has them (or at least I don't have symptoms every time) but have caught them several times so I feel for you and glad you found something that worked! It makes you feel so wretched.

@AutumnLeavesTurning it is, it's a completely impossible task. You just can't sterilise every single thing, it's not possible or sustainable. I honestly used to find that two standard doses, bum cleaning in the mornings for a week, a deep clean all around and washing all bedding and towels was enough and would get rid of them without reinfection, so I don't know why that's not working any more. Perhaps it is as someone else suggested and the two doses are just actually not clearing the infection properly in the first place.

I wouldn't get too paranoid about cleaning everything in the home. To put it bluntly, his fingers are going from his arse to his mouth, without being properly washed in between. That's the reinfection route. It's not teddies or toothbrushes or surfaces.

I'd anti-bac wipe down door handles including fridge, taps etc, but other than that it's keeping on top of his personal hygiene. Hand washing, nail brush, no nail biting etc etc.

@geumsun thank you, yes that is very likely the case. I'm very stringent about hand-washing at home but I'm sure he doesn't bother at school, despite me pleading with him to do so. I just hope it all resolves itself at some point before I lose the will to live. 😅

Tablet once a week for three weeks taken by whole family sorted us out. Apparently about 10% of the population has them at any one time but lots don’t have symptoms do just go through life blissfully unaware.

My kids seem to have outgrown them 🤞but it always made me feel a bit better to follow an anti worm diet when they were around. Plenty of fibre stuff like grated carrot and apple to scour your innards, lots of garlic (natures antibiotic) avoid processed sugar.

I love each of you that have replied, thank you, it's really helped me today, I was feeling very low because of this - which I know is silly but it's just so grim.

Agree, and also give him some sudocream to use for the itching while waiting for the meds to start working 😉

i wouldn't bother with the gp there's nothing else they'll offer and they may not sanction the higher dose. As a pp upthread, i didnt go mad on the laundry - didnt changes the bedding everyday, but pants and pyjama bottoms and his towel and hand towels daily. Handwashing the minute they get in. Snacks when they get home and have clean hands. Nag them about handwashing before lunch at school, nails very short.
And i go to Boots and get their own brand ovex, it's a couple of pounds cheaper and i always buy two boxes and keep some in stock.
And keep up with a dose every few weeks even if you think it's cleared. Good luck!

They hate pumpkin seeds so if you can find a way of making pumpkin seed pesto (maybe for a grated carrot salad) that might help the Ovex clear things.

And handwashing of course.