Is it possible to have worms with no worms to be seen?

[mankymummy]

DS keeps saying he has an itchy bottom, keeps scratching. just changed his nappies and he was trying to itch actually up his bottom (sorry TMI).

I would think it was worms but have been checking very thoroughly and theres nothing there at all...

Any ideas?

yes iut is
apparently they're quite hard to spot in fact.

my doctor prescribed stuff for ds1 based on his symptoms, without seeing anything

oh dear.

what were your DS's symptoms if you dont mind me asking?

do i need to go to the doctors of will a pharmacist prescribe do you think?

You need to check him while he's asleep. Go into the room at night, have the torch switched on ready, quickly slip his nappy down and separate his buttocks. Threadworms come out to lay eggs around the anus at night, and are instantly recognisable. But they go back in if disturbed, so you won't see them during a nappy change, nor if you take your time moving the child around too much before looking. You might see them (dead, I think) in poo, but not necessarily.

They can be hard to spot, i would say that if he is trying to put his finger up his bottom its very likely worms.

omg prettycandles... the vision of me creeping into his bedroom with night vision goggles on has got me laughing !

its strange because he's had very disturbed sleep for the last few weeks which i couldnt understand so maybe thats it..

Laugh now, while you can - I found it really upsetting to see, the first time.

But yes it is a bit when you think what you're about to do.

i keep treating my lot, am a bit paranoid maybe, as have never seen any evidence, but as you say, they complain of itchiness. i just give them an ovex tablet.

Do you know if it causes any harm to kids if they take one of these every couple of months or so? Sorry to hijack

I can understand why you might find it upsetting, i remember having worms as a child and feeling so awful about it i didnt tell anyone until i was absolutely writhing it with it all the time.

Am feeling a bit bad i havent put two and two together up until now though... . Poor DS.

Bertoli (continuing hijack, sorry) I don't think its a problem, AFAIK mebendazole (stuff in Ovex) pretty much goes through your system without getting absorbed, so wouldn't have thought so.

I also dose from time to time, without seeing any. I once saw them in dd's poo - alive and wriggling - but have never seen them on her, even with a torch at night etc etc.

As for symptoms, dd wasn't particularly itchy when she did have them - just a bit, in the bath - and is often itchy when she probably doesn't. She has eczema, plus 4 yr old girls tend to wipe wrongly from time to time, so....can be confusing.

I have never seen a single worm, alive or dead, in dd2's nappy (19mos) even when dd1 clearly had them.

ps mankymummy, if it IS worms, you might see them after treatment in his poo. Though I didn't in dd1's

I discovered I had worms on Fiday, so have dosed everyone itchy or not. It was the highlight of my week.

NOT

DP has spoken to the pharmacist at his work and is bringing home some stuff for him (and us!).

Thanks everyone... maybe it will even solve DS's disturbed wriggly sleep problem!

eeew maidamess...

why is the treatment yucky? i thought it was just an oral medicine !

It doesn't exactly taste like parma violets.

I've had them sooo many times now I'm past the shame.

We've never had nits, funnily enough. Just the worms.

hmmm... dp said it was a banana flavoured suspension

we've never had nits either... maybe you get one or the other..

I use the term 'banana' 'flavoured' very loosely.

part of what it does is 'loosen your motions' so to speak, so bear that in mind.

I dont' mind the taste, neither do the dds (dd1 loves it) or dh

No loose motions here, though - unless you're getting Pripsen with piperazine, which has laxative in it!

Maidamess, if its not TMI for you, how did you know you had them? Toilet bowl?

I find it so hard to tell the difference between paranoia and the real thing...

Thanks for that Elibean!

It is hard sometimes to know whether one is paranoid or it's the real thing..

i think once you've had them it can be hard to get rid of..
I'm boiling the bedding as we speak

Man, i would never have believed i would be chatting on mumsnet about worms had you told me that 5 years ago!

Any tips on how to ensure they are gone for good?

Not from me - I think my worm-savvy is part folklore, part science, large part paranoia!

Though my theory is: if you're going on a 2-3 week holiday at any point, worm everyone two weeks before going, and again the morning of departure. Then watch hygiene while away, but any worm eggs left in your home should be dead anyway by the time you get back...

...you could always worm one last time pre-return to be sure

I thought they were hard to get rid of, but actually I think the kids just get re-infested at pre-school/school, till they get older and stop sucking their fingers.

Tip for disturbed sleep: a good layer of metanium nappy cream stops the worms coming out, so no itching and bettr sleep. Voila.

dd had worms a few weeks ago. no itching or complaints, but i had to wipe her and nearly fainted when i saw a worm waving at me form her bum.

got tablets, dosed us both, then again 2 weeks later. Was meticulous about handwashing. Changes sheets more reg, and made sure i wiped her with wipes every morning, to get rid of eggs.