A pinworm infection is the most common form of intestinal worm infection in the United States, according to MayoClinic.com., The tiny white pinworms, which usually measure between ¼ inch and ½ inch, most often infect school-aged children. If your child has pinworms, stay calm. The condition isn't an indication of poor hygiene, and pinworms are neither harmful nor difficult to get rid of, according to Babycenter.com.
Cause
Pinworm eggs enter the body through the mouth, then they go through the digestive system where their eggs hatch in the small intestine, according to KidsHealth, part of the Nemours Foundation. When baby pinworms grow they move to, and latch onto the wall of, the large intestine. Female pinworms travel to the end of the large intestine and exit the body at nighttime to lay eggs around the anus. The whole process of ingesting pinworms to worms laying new eggs is around one to two months, according to KidsHealth website.
How They Spread
Pinworm eggs are contagious and commonly spread among children. If pinworm eggs get on bedding, toys and clothing, they can survive for as long as three weeks, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. A child may ingest pinworm eggs by picking them up on his fingers during play and sucking his thumb or putting an infested toy in his mouth. Then, the infected child might scratch his itchy bottom and get pinworm eggs under his nails, where the eggs can remain on his skin for multiple hours, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Whatever he touches might get pinworm eggs on it, which increases other children's risk of ingesting them.
Symptoms
A child infected with pinworms may scratch her bottom a lot, move around in bed at night, or have a lot of trouble sleeping, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. The nighttime itching and sleep troubles occur when the females exit the rectum to lay eggs around the anus. If your child has pinworms, you may notice small, white worms that look like small pieces of dental floss around your child's bottom or in her stools.
Diagnosis And Treatment
Contact your pediatrician if you believe your child has pinworms. The pediatrician may ask you to briefly place a small, clear piece of tape around your child's anus in the morning and then bring it in so he can inspect tape for pinworm eggs. If your child has pinworms, the pediatrician will prescribe some medication to take twice over the span of two weeks and he might ask you and other family members to also take the medication just in case, says KidsHealth.
Prevention/Solution
Because pinworm eggs are likely on household toys, bedding and clothing, do a thorough cleaning to avoid reinfestation. In the future, remind your child to wash his hands with warm water and soap before he eats, after playing and after using the bathroom, says KidsHealth. Trim your child's nails regularly, discourage nail biting and scratching around the bottom, and change his underwear every day to reduce his chances of contracting pinworms.
