Pinworm infections in young children are common according to FamilyDoctor.org. The infection is contagious, and your child can spread pinworms to another child easily. The eggs can spread in your house. Children who don't clean their hands before they eat have a higher risk of getting the infection. Pinworms are found in the intestines and are small and white in color.
Itching
The most common symptom your child may experience with pinworms is an itchy bottom. He may constantly scratch, as there can be thousands of eggs that are on the skin around the rectum. According to FamilyDoctor.org, it is the female pinworm that is responsible for the itching because it lays the eggs. You should discourage your child from scratching his bottom to prevent exposure and to discourage re-infection.
Insomnia
A pinworm infection can make your child restless at night, because it is the time that the female pinworms will lay their eggs. Your child may become irritable from trouble falling asleep, lack of enough sleep or being woken up during the night. The skin around your child's bottom can become irritated and be another reason that keeps her from sleeping. Energy levels during the day can be affected, and your child's mood and appetite may suffer.
Abdominal Pain
Abdominal pain is physical discomfort in your child's stomach. It can originate from the intestines where a pinworm infection occurs. Some children experience abdominal discomfort from either the infection or the medication. You should inform your child's doctor if your child has abdominal pain from pinworms.
Nausea
The University of Maryland Medical Center website states that your child may experience a loss of appetite and, with serious pinworm infections, a loss in weight. Symptoms may include nausea due to the stress of the infection, constant itching, lack of sleep and irritability. Your child may experience nausea as part of the body's response to the pinworms' invasion and the resulting infection. Nausea from pinworms is generally irregular and not every child will experience it.
