Call the doctor if your child complains of itchy skin or always seems to be scratching the anal or vaginal area. Also ask if pinworms could be why your child has trouble sleeping or has begun to wet the bed.
The medications used for the treatment of pinworm are either mebendazole, pyrantel pamoate, or albendazole. Any of these drugs are given in one dose initially, and then another single dose of the same drug two weeks later.
Typical pinworm infections don't cause serious problems. In rare circumstances, heavy infestations can cause infection of female genitals. The parasite can travel from the anal area up the vagina to the uterus, fallopian tubes and around the pelvic organs.
Pinworm infection may cause: Itching around the anal area, difficulty sleeping and irritability. If it is a severe infection, symptoms may include: nervousness. restlessness.
Most people don't experience serious complications from pinworm infections, but in rare cases the following complications can occur: Urinary tract infections (UTIs). UTIs can develop if you do not treat the pinworm infection. Vaginitis and endometritis.
Pinworm infection (called enterobiasis or oxyuriasis) causes itching around the anus which can lead to difficulty sleeping and restlessness. Symptoms are caused by the female pinworm laying her eggs. Symptoms of pinworm infection usually are mild and some infected people have no symptoms.
The pinworm lives in the lower part of the small intestine, and the upper part of the colon. It is found worldwide and causes the common infection enterobiasis in humans. Unlike many other intestinal parasites, the pinworm does not usually enter the bloodstream or any other organs besides the intestines.
It moves. If it doesn't wiggle, it's probably lint or a thread. The worm may be seen around the anus or on the child's bottom. It is especially active at night or early morning.
Tell your pediatrician that you are treating the worms, Dr. Ratner said. If the infection doesn't go away after over-the-counter treatment, it's time for a pediatrician visit and possibly a prescription for a medication called Albendazole.
How long does pinworms last? The life cycle of a pinworm is 4 to 6 weeks. Without treatment, infestation will continue as long as fresh eggs are being swallowed, unless a person develops immunity to pinworms, which is unusual before age 15.
Treatment / Management
Young pinworms tend to be resistant to treatment and hence two doses of medication, two weeks apart are recommended. At the same time, all members of the infected child must be treated. If a large number of children are infected in a class, everyone should be treated twice at 2-week intervals.
What are the symptoms of pinworm infections? Symptoms of a pinworm infection (enterobiasis) include: Anal itching, especially at night: Pinworms lay their eggs around the anus at night, causing itching and irritation. While symptoms are usually mild, anal itching can be severe.
This is the most common helminth infestation in the United States, with an estimated 42 million infested, translating to 14% of the population.
Complete die-off within the tested exposure time range was noted for 70 °C, 75 °C and 80 °C, however treatment at 60 °C and 65 °C allowed for development of a few eggs after incubation.
Pinworms can usually be treated completely with two doses of over-the-counter medicine called pyrantel pamoate, available in the United States under the brand names Pin-X and Reese's Pinworm Medicine. Take one dose immediately and another dose two weeks later.
While migrating, pinworms can gain entrance through the urethra up to the renal pelvis and calyces.
For most people, treatment will involve taking a single dose of a medication called mebendazole to kill the worms. If necessary, another dose can be taken after 2 weeks.
Stomach/abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, or drowsiness may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Remember that this medication has been prescribed because your doctor has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects.
Pinworms are also called “threadworms.” They're the most common type of intestinal worm infection in the U.S., and one of the most common in the world. They're thin and white, and about one-quarter to one-half inch long -- about as long as a staple. Tapeworms are flatworms that look a bit like ribbons.
Pinworm, or Enterobius vermicularis, is a small intestinal roundworm about the size of a staple. The female adult worms leave the anus in the middle of the night while the person is sleeping to deposit her eggs around the skin of the perianal region.
People are most likely to get pinworms if they swallow their eggs. This can happen if a person with pinworms scratches around the anus. Then the person gets eggs on his or her hands or under the fingernails. You can then get pinworms if you touch that person or if you touch something he or she touched.
Roundworm Symptoms and Risks
“The worm matures in the gut and then likes to travel to the lung,” says Shirley. “From the lung, the worm can occasionally travel to the eyes, leading to vision loss. Or it may go to the brain where it can cause encephalitis, which leads to seizures and brain damage.”
General Surgeon for Pinworm infection, Symptoms, Treatment | mfine.
Children with pinworms do not need to miss any child care or school.