Clur Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I'm not normally squeamish, but this has me a bit I think one of my kids has worms. Does anyone know if I have to get them a doctors appointment or will a pharmacist be able to help. Is it like headlice (well blatently not exactly like headlice) in that you have to treat the family as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 you can buy over the counter stuff, try the pharmacist first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clur Posted April 10, 2008 Author Share Posted April 10, 2008 Great, I'll nip out when DH gets back with the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddie Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Chemist!! Little pack of pills, "family pack"" Ovex, I think they're called, 4 in a pack. one each. problem solved!! the things you need to know as parents!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I advise you dose everyone otherwise it'll keep going round in circles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I agree with the above - pills available from pharmacist and dose everyone. Also: change bedding at the same time and make sure a clean pair of pants or pyjama bottoms are worn each night as that is when the worms emerge to lay eggs. The eggs can dry on bedding and get distributed as dust. Hand hygiene is important, including scrubbing under nails - scratching at night gets the eggs under fingernails. You will also need to redose again in about 3 weeks time to ensure the worm lifecycle is broken. Don't worry - this is more common than you think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I completely agree with all of what Snowy has said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Yep....definitely treat the whole family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clur Posted April 10, 2008 Author Share Posted April 10, 2008 Y'know, this wasn't the first thing I thought of when deciding to have kids!!! We've all taken some tablets recommended by the chemist (thanks for the advice!) and all the bedding has been in a hot wash. I must admit I told the kids porkies - said the tablets were vitamins. They are staying with grandparents who would instantly assume it's something to do with the chickens!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Don't forget towels and flannels too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keanie Bean Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 We've managed to escape things like worms and headlice in this family , but its good to know there are some quick over the counter treatments should we ever find ourselves visited I hope you get it cleared up, an itchy bum cant be the nicest of things Sarah.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 It might be worth mentioning at school. I would put money on this being where the problem originated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 We were all 'wormed' when I had concerns that my step son had them. I got the tablets from the pharmacy in Asdas. I wormed all of the animals recently as I do a couple of times a year and hubby asked if we all had to be wormed again When I was little I caught them from a friends house. They used to wash the ash trays and pet bowls in the same water at the same time as the cups and dishes. They didn't used to worm their pets so it's not surprising I caught them really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Funilly enough I asked my mum about this the other day, asking why don't humans get worms/need to be wormed like most of the other animals (dogs, cats, chickens etc). She said of course humans can catch worms! I think we must have been lucky then as no one in our immediate family has ever had them. I wonder how humans catch them then, prevention is better than cure as they say... Perhaps it's another question for mum, I still ask the "all knowing mummy" for advice! So don't worry ladies, your offspring never really leave you for good when they fly the nest!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Funilly enough I asked my mum about this the other day, asking why don't humans get worms/need to be wormed like most of the other animals (dogs, cats, chickens etc). She said of course humans can catch worms! I think we must have been lucky then as no one in our immediate family has ever had them. I wonder how humans catch them then, prevention is better than cure as they say... Perhaps it's another question for mum, I still ask the "all knowing mummy" for advice! So don't worry ladies, your offspring never really leave you for good when they fly the nest!!! Mums are the fount of all information! Prevention is definitely the key - keeping nails short and clean is the main one; not putting fingers in mouth; regular handwashing etc. No surprise that children get them really - they scratch themselves, put fingers and other things in their mouths, hold hands at school, dig in the garden. All ways to pass on worm eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddie Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 I got worms when I was little, off the tortoise!!! YEP, same tortoise that has just messed on the mat!! Worming him is just a nightmare, you cant prise their mouths open, and they do the head in thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ana's flock Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 I might be wrong here, but a vet friend of mine once told me that the worms you get from cats/dogs are different to human thread worms. Apparently the only animal that has that sort of threat worm is the pig. We can catch them from eating 'not quite cooked' pork meat, sausages, etc. So watch out for BBQ time... And of course from contact with other children that also have them. Yup, the family pack, we've also had them. We were told that's a very common problem, nothing to do with animals in the house, it's a 'human' thing. And the scrupulous washing of hands, bedding, clothes advice... I understand not wanted your in-laws to blame your chickens... but I did played it up to my boys, making them sound as horrid as possible, to encourage to wash their hands and not to scratch themselves... (hand washing and young boys don't seem to go together too well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 People can catch a pig worm but it is a more dangerous form than common thread worms it causes a fatal brain disease in humans which is why pork is heavily scrutinised in the abatoir to look for evidence of infection in the meat it is caleed measly pork and if seen is condemed Not sure whether humans can catch animal worms though maybe a search for later if I have time Waiting for a visitor just now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Thought of this thread as we were walking to school and ds1 (5) announced his bottom itched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 I routinely do the family pack of worm tablets thing about tiwce yearly - we have two young kids, and I work in a school where it's inevitable that some of the 1800 children are carrying them. In fact I keep a packet of worm tablets in the medicine cupboard at all times! Threadworms are harmless unless you have a really really heavy infestation; luckily in the UK we aren't often subject to the tropical 'big wigglers' that move into other bits of your body from the gut. Shudder. Hand and household hygiene is essential and I enforce morning bottom-washing too, even if they bathed or showered the night before. We tell the boys it will keep them smelling nice but of course it helps reduce the chances of threadworms because they lay eggs around the anus during the night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pookylover Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 My son (8yrs) had worms a few months ago. The school our children moved to when we moved house is full of parents that just can't be bothered. My husband popped him to the nurse at the doctors the moment we found out and he had a tablet. There was an outbreak of headlice too that has completely gone out of control in his class because the parents don't bother. It is very poor really. Clare x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Don't be embarassed, it's something most parents have to deal with! My 6 year old was complaining of itching a month or so ago so all 4 of us had the Ovex treatment and I did a deep clean of their rooms with a damp cloth to try to catch any eggs in the dust. I changed all the beds at the same time and hoovered upstairs more frequently for a week or so. You need to watch out for re-infection after a couple of weeks but they now don't say to routinely dose again at that point unless you've still got them. I was worried the treatment would give everyone the runs but it didn't make us feel any different. Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clur Posted April 12, 2008 Author Share Posted April 12, 2008 I was horrified when I realised as I know it's down to hygiene. Have yet again reminded the kids they need to wash their hands after going to the loo, before eating etc, and I will let the school know when they go back after Spring break. Definitely going to use all the tips too - common sense really (I don't always possess that in any quantity!). Didn't realise how common a thing it is for kiddies, I've been quite naive in the respect but am relieved it isn't just mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 I was horrified when I realised as I know it's down to hygiene. Not at all - it's not a 'dirty' thing. The eggs can be present in house dust so you've only got to have visited the house of someone with it and the eggs could get from your hands to mouths. I'm pretty sure my ds1 got it from school; he is not good at washing his hands during the school day and he is always sucking his fingers but as another thread this week has discussed, excessive attention to hygiene can be just as bad. I wouldn't bother to alert the school unless they ask to be notified - our's doesn't - and it's not a nice thing to have on your child's notes. Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 Definatley not a hygiene thing at all. They are so easy to pick up and transfer, thye are also so commom. A friend is a school nurse and she says that there will always be more children in a school with Thread worm than with head lice and there are always children with headlice in a school!. With that kind of concentration it's very hard not to pick them up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
