Worms

[Lexy1982]

My friends son has just been diagnosed with Worms. Im a bit concerned as he was round my house last week with my daughter and he slept over. He was complaining that his bum hurt him but I didnt think anything of it. Then his mum called my yesterday 2 say he'd got worms. She has given him this threadworm tablet and apparently she has been told that it clears straight away and as long as he is kept clean and washed his hands then he should be fine. Ive read up about it and know its caused through poor hygiene but I dont really know how contagious it is and also how long it last for...Does that tablet really clear it up straight away? My daughter hasnt complained her bum is hurting her but he is supposed to be staying round my house again this Friday and I dont know what to do?
I phoned NHs Direct yesterday but they havent got back to me yet...Could you help me at all?

[Pea Pod]

http://www.surgerydoor.co.uk/level2/babies_com monchildhoodillnesses11.shtml Hope this helps.

[Lexy1982]

Thanks for that. It doesnt however say how contagious it is and how long its contagious for. Thats the bit Im concerned about as Im worried my daughter may have caught it and also I dont know whether he should come round this Friday.

[coco pops]

Usually when a child gets worms the whole family has to take the threadworm tablets , just as with head lice treatment. Having had a child who had many bouts of worms ,it was never passed to other members of the family who refused to take the tablet. Threadworms are common in children but it is not something parents will admit. Your daughter will be mixing with other children who have worms but you /she won't know. I would let the boy stay .

[Cymbeline]

It's not contagious as such but it is spread by itching and the eggs getting under the fingernails (sorry to be so graphic) so if he doesn't wash his hands properly he could pass it to your daughter via hand to mouth but depending on how boisterously they play it is hard to say how likely this is. Hope this helps.

[Lexy1982]

He has apparently taken a threadworm tablet. Is is likely to clear up straight away after taking the tablet? Or does it take a while to go away?

[scoobydooby]

The tablet will kill the worms almost immediately - within a couple of days maximum all will be fine. However, Coco pops is right - so many kids have threadworms and it's nothing to do with whether their families have high levels of hygiene etc. My daughter was an 'outdoor' girl when she was younger and bit her fingernails - recipe for disaster my GP told me and she had many bouts until she grew out of them! In all honesty, although they're not nice, they're pretty harmless - it's just one of those things parents are embarrassed to admit their kids have. Well done to your friend for realising it's really not that big a deal and informing you.

[hammerman]

Female threadworms come down to the entrance of the anus to lay their eggs....usually at night. This causes itching and irritation.
A single tablet (sometimes sold as pripsen) will kill all the adults within a few days. However, this won't kill the eggs and another tablet should be taken 2 weeks later when the eggs hatch.

Meanwhile, it's recommended that all the family take the tablets, bed clothes and towels are washed on a very hot wash and hygine is spotless (washing under your fingernails etc)