Pin Worms in kids, more common then you think!

Pinworms in kids

Today’s blog is a rather curly topic, that of worms in kids! I can feel all the parents squirming. However, it’s a topic that needs to be addressed, and one that I love helping parents and kids with. Worms are really common in our kids, especially in settings like day-cares and schools. They are most often passed on via hands, which makes transmission very easy for our little people. Today’s blog is going to cover the signs and symptoms of worm infestation, and what you can do to keep them at bay.

How do you know if your child has worms?

There are some classic tell-tale signs that your child has a worm infestation. Here is a list of the most common signs, but its by no means exhaustive:

·        Itchy bottom

·        Itchy vaginas

·        Grinding teeth in their sleep

·        Insomnia

·        Unrefreshing sleep

·        Anxiety and irritability

·        Moving around a lot in the bed at night

·        Insomnia is worse with the full moon – worms love the full moon!

·        You can see worms visibly in the anus or stools

How to treat worms in kids

If you suspect that your child has worms, or indeed know they do, the first step is to eradicate them. Over the counter worm tablets, like combantrin, are perfectly safe and good options. These medications have very few side effects and are also low in toxicity. Combantrin in particular is good because it comes in little chocolate squares, which most kids love! The tablet itself works by paralysing the worms so they can be expelled easily. Taking a second dose 7 to 14 days after the first can also help to stop existing worms from releasing more eggs.

However, if eggs are laid, they can survive outside of the digestive tract for up to 2 months. This means a longer-term plan is necessary to ensure they don’t hatch after the 2 months and repeat the cycle.  I use a specialised kids herbal worming compound in my clinic, which kids can take for the 2 month period after over the counter wormers are used.

How to prevent reinfestation

Worms are tenacious little creatures, and they can reinfest children very easily. They are very often transferred via hands, so improving hand hygiene is key. Regular washing of hands with warm soapy water is important before consuming any food, as well as after toileting and playing with pets. Keeping the nails short can also help here. 

Secondly, making sure linen and underwear are changed regularly can help tremendously.

The next port of call is gut health. Worms and indeed other parasites can cause a lot of damage to the gut lining, and they will also take advantage of a gut that is already inflamed and irritated. Helping your child’s digestive health with a good quality prebiotic is a great place to start. We know that the healthier your gut bacteria are, the greater protection this gives you against worms. Indeed, specific types of gut bacteria have been shown to help clear out worms and prevent reinfestation. I stock child specific prebiotics for this use, and they give great results.

A few other key things you can do to prevent reinfestation include:

·        Worming the whole family together at the same time

·        Regularly clean things like benches, light switches, power points, taps and the toilet flush with hot water and a cloth to help stop the spread

·        Help your kids to shower daily, especially cleaning their genitals and bottoms to remove any eggs that may have been laid

If you try the tips in this blog and it’s still not working, or you need some personalised advice, you can book a consultation with me