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. Rarely, the pinworm is seen on the surface of a stool.
A pinworm is a white, very thin worm about 1/4 inch long that moves. If it doesn't wiggle, it's probably lint or a thread. Pinworms usually are seen in the anal and buttock area, especially at night or early in the morning. Sometimes a pinworm is found on the surface of a bowel movement.
To treat pinworm infection, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter pyrantel pamoate or prescribe medication to all members of your household to prevent infection and reinfection. The most common prescription anti-parasite medications for pinworms are: Mebendazole. Albendazole (Albenza)
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.
Medication is available to kill the worms and this is usually prescribed for the person who is infected and all other members of the household. One dose may be followed up with a second dose 2 weeks later to take care of any surviving worms.
While serious complications are rare, pinworms can lead to: Bacterial infections: When the infected person scratches the anal area, the skin can bleed and become infected. Urinary tract infections (UTIs): In females, the worms can travel to the vagina and cause infections.
Although medicine takes care of the worm infection, the itching may continue for about a week. So the doctor also might give your child a cream or other medicine to help stop the itching.
If you are self-treating for pinworms, take the medication once only.
If you or your child have threadworms that won't go away or keep coming back, speak to a doctor. You should also see a doctor if you see slime or blood in poo, even if you don't have other symptoms of a threadworm infection.
The doctor may also recommend tap water enemas to help flush out the pinworms and reduce symptoms.
The key is to break the 6-week cycle of pinworm reinfection by killing any live pinworms and preventing the ingestion of eggs. A diagnosis should be confirmed before treating with medications. Medications kill only the adult worms and have no effect on developing eggs and larvae.
Do not scratch. Itching around the anus caused by a pinworm infection usually happens at night. Try wearing gloves, pyjamas, and close-fitting clothing to help prevent scratching.
The medicine should start to work straight away but it may take several days to kill all the worms. It's important to take the medicine as a pharmacist or doctor tells you. Do not stop early if you have been told to take it for several days.
In the morning, before your child goes to the bathroom or washes up, put the sticky side of a piece of clear tape around the anus. Remove the tape and look for pinworms or their eggs. You can also buy a tape test kit at the pharmacy. If you do not find pinworms, do the tape test 2 more mornings in a row, to be sure.
Based on data from the current study, 4–5 seconds of exposure at 80°C appears sufficient to inactivate Ascaris eggs. At 75°C and 70°C treatment may also be effective, but exposure time should be increased to achieve the same level of inactivation.
Playmates, schoolmates, close contacts outside the house, and household members should be considered. Each infected person should receive the usual two- dose treatment. In some cases it may be necessary to treat with more than two doses. One option is four to six treatments spaced 2 weeks apart.
Showering may help avoid possible re-contamination in bath water. Change underwear and bedding daily. This helps remove eggs. Launder in hot water.
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.
Adults and children 2 years of age and older: Dose is based on body weight and will be determined by your doctor. It is taken as a single dose and may need to be repeated in two to three weeks.
Give a repeat dose of the pinworm medicine in 2 weeks. Reason: To prevent the pinworms from coming back. The repeat dose is needed because eggs can live for 1 to 2 weeks. Temperature and humidity levels also affect how long the eggs can stay alive.
E vermicularis can mimic other disease processes and, although rare, can lead to serious infectious complications such as tubo-ovarian abscesses. The following complications have also been noted: appendicitis, endometritis, salpingitis, urethritis, urinary tract infection, and vulvovaginitis.
The worm has a lifespan of about six weeks, therefore the strict hygiene needs to last that long.
Parents often find them gross. They freak out about them, and sometimes are even too embarrassed to ask the doctor about them. But don't be frightened, they're common!