Threadworms what do they do

If you touch your mouth with your hands after touching a contaminated toy or other object, you can become infected. The main symptom is itching in the anal area. A child may have trouble sleeping because of the itchiness. Girls can also have redness and itching around the vagina.

They may also be seen at night around a child's buttocks. A doctor may suggest treatment for threadworms even if the child only has an itchy bottom since the infection is both common and easy to treat. Threadworms are easily treated with medicine prescribed by a doctor or available from your pharmacist. Usually the medicine is taken as a single dose, which is then repeated 2 weeks later.

It is recommended that the child showers on the night the medicine is given and again the next morning to remove eggs laid during the night.

It is very easy for the whole family to become infected because the eggs are easily passed from one person to another within a household, from hands or fingernails to towels, sheets and other surfaces. Also, make sure everyone changes their underwear every day.

Be sure that everyone washes their hands before eating and after using the bathroom. Keep fingernails trimmed short. Unfortunately, repeat infection is very common. To help reduce this and to prevent the threadworms from spreading to others, you can take the following precautions:.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Threadworms, also called pinworms, are tiny, very thin white worms about 5 millimetres long that live in the intestine and around the anus. Read more on Queensland Health website. Read more on myDr website. Threadworms are tiny parasitic worms that can infect your large intestine.

The most common type of infection in Australia is Enterobius vermicularis and is particularly common in children. Read more on WA Health website. Threadworms are the most common form of worm infection in Australia. Worms are easily treated with pharmacy medicines. Find out what products are available for worms. Read more on Better Health Channel website. Worms are bowel parasites - threadworm is the most common - worm eggs can survive up to 2 weeks in the environment and infect other people.

If you are checking children, it is best to inspect about 2 to 3 hours after they have fallen asleep. If you are pregnant, breast-feeding, or have a baby less than 6 months of age, and you suspect you may have pinworms, you should see your doctor straight away. Pinworm infection can be easily treated. It is important to remember that treatment also focuses on preventing re-infection.

All members of the family need to be treated. Treatment may consist of either a 6-week strict hygiene method or medication followed by strict hygiene for 2 weeks. Some medications are available OTC over the counter at local pharmacies. Individuals who are pregnant, breast-feeding, or have a baby less than 6 months old should speak with a doctor. If medication is used, it should be given to everybody in the household. There is a risk of transmission between family members people in the same household ; so the chances of being infected if somebody has been diagnosed are high, even if no symptoms are present.

Currently, the CDC recommends the following treatment for pinworms. Various medications are available to purchase online. Speak to a doctor before taking any medicaton. The hygiene method is usually recommended for pregnant or breast-feeding mothers, rather than medication. Neither mebendazole or albendazole should be taken during the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. During the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy and breast-feeding, medication can be used if necessary.

This decision should be made by a doctor. Talk to a doctor for children under 2 who need treatment. The hygiene method is often preferred. Though uncomfortable and sometimes alarming, complications as a result of pinworm infection are rare. However, if they do occur, they can include:. Medication will be required for serious infections or complications.

Prevention is usually achievable through adequate hygiene measures. There are no serious or immediately life-threatening complications. As long as treatment occurs soon after symptoms appear, pinworms are parasites that can be easily handled. A parasite is an organism that lives in or on another organism.

It depends on its host for survival, and it might cause disease or other types of harm. Hookworm is an intestinal parasite that can cause infection at any age. People can catch it through contact with soil. It is rare in the United States,. What do white specks in stool indicate?

Are there other symptoms to consider? Bath or shower regularly, ideally first thing in the morning as soon as you get up, and make sure you clean around your anus and vagina to remove any eggs or wash the genital area thoroughly straight after getting up from bed if you prefer to bathe at night. If you continue with good hygiene measures around the home, it may also help prevent another outbreak. If you decide to take medication for threadworms, again everyone in your household should take it — but the amount of time you have to follow strict hygiene measures is reduced from six weeks to two.

The most common medicine used to treat threadworm infections is mebendazole. This kills threadworms by stopping them from absorbing the sugars they need to survive — though it cannot kill threadworm eggs. You can buy it over the counter at pharmacies in liquid form or as chewable tablets your GP can also prescribe it.

You may be advised to take a second dose of mebendazole two weeks after the first, as it can help prevent re-infection. Mebendazole is generally well tolerated and rarely causes side effects, However, if you have a very severe threadworm infection, it can cause abdominal pain or diarrhoea, though this is thought to be quite rare.

If your child is younger than two years old but older than three months, they may be able to take a medicine called piperazine. This works by paralysing the threadworms until they are eliminated from the bowel naturally, and is usually combined with senna, a medicine that has a laxative effect to help get rid of the worms more quickly.

Piperazine and senna usually come as powders in sachets that are mixed with milk or water before drinking. Again, you may need a second dose after two weeks, as piperazine cannot kill threadworm eggs.

Both mebendazole and piperazine are believed to be between 90 - per cent effective at killing threadworms v. Other possible drugs for treating a threadworm infection include albendazole and pyrantel pamoate vi.

Good hygiene is the key to preventing threadworms, especially frequent hand washing and particularly before eating and after going to the toilet. This means the risk of them infecting other children will be low. Meanwhile you could also take steps to make sure your child is healthy if they have threadworms. Try making their diet as healthy and nutritious as possible and encourage them to stay active and to get plenty of sleep though a tapeworm infection can make sleep difficult, thanks to the nocturnal itching.

Some you may want to consider include:. Supplements that help support their immune system, including child-friendly products with immune-boosting ingredients such as elderberry, blackcurrant and rosehips. A multivitamin and mineral formulated for children — look for products that children will enjoy taking, such as chewable tablets or tablets that dissolve in water to make a palatable drink. A natural soluble fibre supplement to boost their digestive system — some are available in powder form and are sweet tasting, which may make them easier for children to take.

Chemotherapy of enterobiasis oxyuriasis. Expert Opin Pharmacother. Disclaimer: The information presented by Nature's Best is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies human, animal, or in vitro , clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals.

Self-treatment is not recommended for life-threatening conditions that require medical treatment under a doctor's care. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. View More.