Worms - and I'm not talking wiggly woo!

[Meid]

Not a pleasant subject I know but I think my DD (22 months) has threadworm.
She doesn't seem to be itchy but I've noticed a couple of times in the last fortnight some white bits around her anus. Could it be that she has a mild infestation which is why it isn't irritating her and why I'm not seeing them everyday?
I don't want to take her to the doctors for medicine until I'm certain, but likewise I wouldn't want any infestation to increase and cause her discomfort so I wondered if anyone with experience in this know if they could kind of come and go or, if she does have them, would I constantly see them when I change her nappy?
Many thanks!

it's worms, believe me, we've had them big time in this house! They don't always irritate. DS2 (12 months, but first got worms at 5 months) was rarely irritated by them. Sometimes I felt them on myself, but sometimes I didn't.
Go and get treated NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vermox is the most palatable and this is vital when getting litties to take it. Prescription only, I think.
Get on top of it ASAP, as they are a right b*gger to shift.
If you scroll down the Health section, you'll find a thread I started called Persistent threadworms. (I should do a link, but they always go wrong for me ........... a bit like battling worms, really)

BTW, I think we've finally beaten them, folks! We seem to be worm free for the first time since LAST SEPTEMBER (take note, meid ....)

Also, you need to wash everything on a hot wash and I've had a brain-wave about woollens. You can't boil these, but they need treating as eggs get everywhere. Wrap them up in a plastic bag, put them away somewhere until the eggs are dead (14 days, but give it 3 weeks to be on the safe side) then take them out and give them a normal wool wash.

Happy boiling!

Just to answer the other part of your question meid, sometimes there would be only 1 or 2 white bits, other times loads. This was my downfall initially, as I saw the odd white bit around my 3-yr-olds anus for a while before twigging that yes, they really were worms.

You could take your dd to the doc's and ask him to take a sellotape slide - actually you have to do it yourself, first thing in the morning - it's not high-tech, you just get a piece of sellotape, stick it over the anal area, rubbing lightly! Then remove and stick the sellotape to the glass microscope slide your GP will give you. This can then be sent to the local path lab, and if any worm eggs are present they will show up. This may help to confirm the diagnosis before you treat your child.

meanwhile they've scratched in their sleep and spread eggs all over the house - in carpets, everywhere.
Sorry, but I'd hate someone to go through what I've been through these past months, all because I hesitated.

Great advice so far - but don't get too grossed out. My DD has had it a number of times....
Because it is so contagious you MUST treat the whole family.... and it is easy-peasy.
1 family pack of OVEX ( available from Boots - not on prescription ) each person takes a dose - and that's it. Just to be on the safe side - repeat the process after 2 or 4 (?) weeks. I never have done as I forget - but quite frankly that does the trick ... and it avoids the embarrassment of a visit to the GP.
HTH and Good Luck

Meid - are they just white bits that don't do anything. IME, the white bits wriggle and are definately identifiable as worms. I have seen white bits that are just an accumulation of debris - sorry to be so graphic. There might not be worms present at all.

Thank you everybody for your responses and advice.

Mears, they are white, thin and about 0.5cm long. They don't wiggle and I had assumed, if they were worms, they were dead - going by your experience it looks like I could be mistaken.

Droile - thank you for all the advice and I am pleased to hear you solved your problem. Fingers crossed for you it stays that way. I have read your other thread now and on hearing how horrific it was for your family I'll definitely take my dd to the GP, just in case.

Just out of interest - do you advise the school if you are treating your children for threadworms?

Message withdrawn

thanks crystaltips, but my baby was under 1 year at the time, so couldn't take ovex. GP visit was necessary and after giving birth in hospital, it beggars belief that anyone could get embarrassed by talking about worms to a GP who sees them all the time, lol