Parasites are not a reflection of personal hygiene or cleanliness but are simply a matter of exposure. Your child can be exposed to many types of parasites in school or day care. Most parasites are easily treated with prescription medications. If you suspect your child has a parasite, consult your doctor immediately.
Pinworms
Pinworm infection is the most common worm infection in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mebendazole is the most commonly prescribed medication for treating pinworms in children, although other antiworm medications are available. The female pinworm crawls out of the infected child's anus to lay her eggs, which causes itching in the anal area. When a child scratches the area, she can pick up eggs under her fingernails and reinfect herself or infect others if they ingest the eggs. The CDC advises that the sheets and clothing of an infected child should be washed in hot water, and the child should shower daily each morning to wash away remaining eggs while undergoing treatment. Reinfection is not uncommon and should be watched for and retreated as necessary.
Scabies
A child can have scabies and spread them for two to six weeks before experiencing any symptoms. Scabies are skin mites and are treated with a prescription medication called a scabicide. The scabicide is in the form of a cream or lotion and should be applied to the entire body from the neck down to the feet, according to the CDC. Different medications have different amounts of time they need to be in contact with the skin, so read the package directions carefully. In addition to medication, a child's bedding, clothing and personal care items such as towels and brushes should be cleaned in hot water and dried in a heated dryer, or sealed in a plastic bag for 72 hours.
Intestinal Parasites
If your child has diarrhea, it is possible she picked up an intestinal parasite. Giardia and cryptosporidium are two common parasites that are picked up from swimming in infected waters, including chlorinated pools, according to the Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital. Water, food and soil are contaminated by coming into contact with feces containing the parasites. Giardia can be treated with prescription antibiotics, but cryptosporidium has no specific treatment. However, it usually clears up within a couple of weeks. Both parasites can cause stomach problems and diarrhea. Make sure your child drinks plenty of liquids so she doesn't become dehydrated.
Head Lice
Head lice are treated with a type of medication called a pediculicide. Pediculicides do not kill lice eggs, called nits, so retreatment nine to 12 days after the first treatment is necessary to completely rid your child of the parasite. Washing his bedding and clothing as well as vacuuming your home's common areas will prevent reinfestation or the possibility of other family members getting head lice, according to the CDC.
