Are we the only ones who get worms repeatedly?

[CybilLiberty]

I have lost count of the number of times ds (6)(and me ) have caught worms.

Obviously he's at school, and I work in the same school and everytime he gets it, I do, and vice versa. No one else in our family seems to suffer.

My cleaner I dust weekly, and hoover. He's a finger chewer (I have my moments).

But I can't help thinking some child at school is rife with them and keeps spreading them.

Mine get them a couple of times a year.
Maybe you're never completely getting rid of them. Is that possible?

Do you make him wear pants in bed? Do hot washes on all bedding? Do a repeat dose to break the cycle etc etc?

My DS seems to get them annually too.

They are quite literally a PITA

Yes to pants in bed, hot washes, double doses etc. I wonder if we've built up an immunity to Ovex now.

I think the nose picking and finger chewing (from him I hasten to add) mean he is likely to catch them, it said on the leaflet that at least 40% of all under 10's have threadworms at any one time.

Perhaps it is only a couple of times a year, thinking about it..feels like more

The medication is quite a lot for your livers to handle, though. I would be really stern about the fingers in the mouth and keep fingernails very short, insist on using a nailbrush every time hands are washed, and make him wash hands frequently, especially right after coming home from school.

I remember this well- I think we used to get them 2-3 times a year and I had 2 DCs with only 2 years between them.

You might try dosing the whole family as they could have them but no symptoms. The Ovex instructions say all family should have the meds.

Agree about handwashing.

I wish schools would be more open about it,like they are with head lice, and send out letters asking parents to worm their kids ( like dogs ) now and then. It was such a pain for us- my DCs are grown up now- but I remember that itching/crawling feeling so well!

I have just been up to check on ds.. he was fast asleep with his hand down the back of hispants...I am fighting a losing battle here.

I agree about the school thing and feel very strongly that it should be tackled in the same way as head lice is, i.e by raising awareness of symptoms and treatment. But because it's bum related, folk are cagey.

I don't know anything about worms- how do you know if a child (or adult) has them?

Well at the risk of too much information, your bum 'tickles' and itches and you will see a worm come out . They are tiny, wiggly and white.

My DD1 6 and DD2 5 gets them pretty often.
DS1 12 and DS2 9 have never had them as far as i am aware of.
Always treat us all though just in case. DD's are both thumb suckers which i think coulkd be part of the cause. i always inform the school and keep them home until treated, never any mention in school letters.

Just been to Boots and got

wipes (for cleaning early morning bums)

nailbrushes (for scrubbling purposes)
and kid friendly hand wash, 3 lots, one for each loo.

I've just got to try to stop him chewing his fingers now.

these pesky worms will not beat me!

No don't let them beat you - pesky things.

DS has had them a few times. Dr said whole family should be treated, but DD was only a few weeks old when he first got them and I was breast feeding so we had to be really careful not to spread them.

Everyone had to have seperate towels (hand towels as well as bath), scrub with brushes at every hand wash and bath/shower in morning before doing anything else as they come out at night and lay their eggs for you to ingest through the day. If you wash the eggs away there is nothing to ingest. V. important to scrub hands before eating.

It worked, but DS got them again 6 months later. I got them then too - was still breastfeeding so doc would not treat me. Same procedure..... Just constant washing of hands and bottoms!

Might not be school he is getting them from. Doc told me easy to pick them up from garden so must wash hands when coming in from outside play.

I was also told to have my carpets steam cleaned, which I did, and to wet mop all other floors. Also, taught the DCs to never touch the toilets at school, flush by using their feet to push down the lever, and use a paper towel or piece of TP to open the stall door, not touching the handle/ lock. I started insisting on removing outdoor shoes, never touching the soles of shoes. (In other words, I went a little insane, but it worked) I was told you can't take the medicine if you're pg, so be careful about dosing the whole family.

A friend went out and bought old fashioned onesie/ longjohn style pjs after one too many bouts with the uninvited guests. Same friend adds she binned her fuzzy toilet seat cover and the mat at the base of the toilet; the eggs can get caught in these and then get onto hands. In the same way, the eggs can get into cloth laundry bags or liners for wicker ones. Plain old plastic laundry baskets that can be swabbed down after every dirty load work better than cloth. You should never allow the DCs to throw/ leave dirty clothes, esp underwear on any floor, or shake them around in any way after undressing. They should be placed immediately in the plastic basket, and you should wear rubber gloves when handling dirty laundry.

How about adding lots of garlic (and seaweed) to your diet. People at my dog club swear by it, yes I know we aren't dogs , but worms are worms who's ever intestine they are living in.