Pinworm

Pinworm is a type of parasitic worm which affects millions of people around the globe. It can affect people of any age group, but it is most commonly found in school going children between the ages of 5 to 10 years. These are usually not harmful and do not have negative effects on the other parts of the body.

Precautions to be taken to avoid pinworm infection in your child:

• You should put your child into the practice of washing their hands before meals, after using the toilets and after play. The worm eggs could be stuck under the fingernails and can be ingested through the mouth.
• Wash your children’s clothes thoroughly, especially the ones that come in contact with the pinworm affected areas such as underwear and pajamas.
• Regularly wash their bed sheets, towels and toys.
• Keep their finger nails short and clean and do not let them bite their nails.
• Use clean drinking glasses and utensils to have your food.

What are the symptoms of a pinworm infection?

If you have pinworms, you might see the tiny pin shaped worm of the size of a staple in your stools. You may also find them in your underwear after you wake up in the morning.

It may cause itching in your anus, especially during night times when the female pinworm is more active and crawls to the surface of the rectum to deposit her eggs.

Treatment for pinworm infection:

Pinworms don’t cause any harm, except itching. The doctor will do some simple tests to make sure you make pinworms. Or you can do that test at home. Place a small piece of tape on the area around the anus first thing in the morning. Pull it off and take it to the doctor, who will examine it under the microscope to see if it has any eggs on it. Samples from under the fingernails can also be collected.

The doctor may prescribe an anti-pinworm drug called albendazole (Albenza) or mebendazole (Vermox) which are most commonly used medicines to treat pinworms. These need to be taken twice over two weeks as the pinworm eggs are not killed by these medicines. To avoid re-infection another dose in the second week is mandatory as the pinworm eggs are not killed by these medicines. Usually the doctor recommends the entire family to be treated for pinworms at the same time as it is likely to spread among family members.

Pinworm infections are very common in children but they are not dangerous. With a bit of precaution and medication, you can be free from pinworms in no time!