Need Help with Pinworms in Child

Updated on April 30, 2014
K.J. asks from Picayune, MS
7 answers

I can't believe I'm asking this question. My 6 1/2 old year daughter had them since almost September off and on. Back in September we found she had it.Took a sample into her doctor sure enough she said it looks like pinworms. She wrote a prescription out for pinworm medicine. Took it to two pharmacy's which said they didn't have it. The 3rd one said "oh we have it on the shelf." He pointed to pin-x pinworms medicine. Ok. Anyway her doctor told me to retreat her in 2 weeks to make sure they were all gone. 9 days later she had them again. I called the nurse she told me go ahead and give it to her early, She seem fine and we thought she was over it. Few months later in December she had them again. And her 4 1/2 year old brother had them to. Treated them both and checked everyone else in the house. Long story short her brother got them two times but was a month or so apart. My daughter is having a HARD time getting rid of them. I told her doctor and she just told me there wasn't any other kind of medicine for her to take and just treat her with that kind. I'm been washing bed sheets,underwear,etc. Cleaning like crazy. I don't know if she's picking this up from school or what. I told her over and over again about how we wash hands. I hate giving her this medicine over and over again and worried about if its hurting my child. Is there any "home remedies" that help with killing off pinworms??? I feel so bad seeing my daughter going off and on with this. I read that coconut oil help kills pinworms? Don't know of that is true or not. Again I didn't want to ask this question but I need some advice. As of right now she Is the only one in our family( of 6) that has them.

Edit: I'm wondering if she's picking it from school? I know since school started she pick up viruses. Then I can be wrong. I know she likes playing in the sand,dirt and clay. so who knows!

Edit: As soon as they got home we retreated all the kids(expect the baby). Wash and scrub everything. I know they seem to hatch before 2 weeks.(maybe 9-10 days later?) Thanks for all the info!! :)

1 mom found this helpful

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M.S.

answers from Portland on

We had them last summer after going camping. My 2 year old dipped everything he ate in the sand and so we came home with them. We had to do the entire family, even though mom and dad didn't have it, to finally get rid of them. My daughter didn't show any signs, and so we didn't do her the first time, and then she had them. Apparently they can be spread from person to person even if there aren't any signs. So, I personally would treat the whole family, and make sure that you are using the proper dose, this includes adults because they have to take more than the kids by a lot. I had Target order the chewable pills for me. It took them a few days, but was SO worth it! I think it was about $20 for the whole family of 4. Then, you need to do it again, even though you don't see any signs of worms. This is the only way to get rid of them.

I know that kids can pick them up in sand, litter boxes, dirt, grass, and any other surface that has been touched by someone who has them. I know that they really like to hang out under the fingernails, so I would cut everyone's nails super short and use a nail brush every time they wash their hands for a while.

I know how frustrating this can be! I feel for you and your little ones. Good luck!

11 moms found this helpful

T.R.

answers from Milwaukee on

Oh, worms are so hard to get rid of, & make us feel so bad when they are present, like we are doing something wrong. The good news, is that pinworms are not a dangerous worm, just annoying.

They hatch & grow in the digestive tract of humans. Adult worms come out of the anus at night & lay eggs at the opening. This causes itching, & when scratched, the eggs can be carried & placed on surfaces to be picked up, or even brought back to the mouth for reinfection. As a result, pinworms can be picked up anywhere - other people contaminate the surfaces. Pinworms do not come from animals, however, they are a human worm. http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/parasitic/pinworm...

For this reason, cleaning bedding regularly, underwear daily, making sure nails are clipped very short, and washing hands after -every- trip to the bathroom, or any time the child needs to scratch, is very important.

As you know, over the counter medications are available, as is prescription. However, the previously used prescription (Mebendazole) is no longer available in the US - some pharmacies can compound the drug on a doctors request. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mebendazole) You may want to consider this, if the OTC drugs continue to not be effective.

Here is a link to a site with a lot of helpful information:
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/pinworms-topic-overview
And there are further links @ the bottom of the page.

Hopefully you are able to find a way to treat & eradicate them! T.

4 moms found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Richland on

You probably should google pin worms, how you get them. You are only looking at human to human transmission when that isn't the only way you get them. Marie has listed a fair few ways, another is they can be in food that isn't fully cooked.

They are not coming back month after month because you aren't cleaning the surfaces enough. They need a moist environment to live. You need to find the source. I would start with outdoor play equipment, sand box, whatever material you have under play equipment.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

I think everyone in the family is suppose to be treated not just the people with visible worms. Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful
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M.F.

answers from Phoenix on

I'm willing to bet your family is just passing them back and forth. Pin worms are so contagious that you normally treat EVERYONE, sometimes pets included, even if they don't have symptoms, in order to get rid of them.
Keep up with the diligent washing, make sure you are trimming fingernails daily, and ask for prescriptions for everyone in the family. Like with pinkeye, a call to your doctor, if different from your kids, explaining the diagnosis, will be enough to get a prescription called in for the adults in the family.
Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Last year, one of my son's classmates, had Pinworms. A girl. (I knew it was a girl because I know her Mom).
The SCHOOL sent home, a notice about it and what to look out for and what to do etc. AND the Janitors, RIGHT away, did proper cleaning of the entire classroom/flooring... per sanitation/Dept. of Education rules and protocols for, things like that.
The flier the school sent home... said that to KEEP AN EYE OUT on our own kid, for TWO MONTHS.... because that is how long it can take to manifest/spread/develop per the worms life cycle etc.
The Teacher, ALSO talked to the kids about it and about washing their hands and not putting their hands to their mouth etc.
This was a 1st grade class.

So YES, kids can get it from school/other classmates.
Kids are very handsy, they are not hygienic, they play and go on the carpet etc at school. they do NOT always wash their hands after using the bathroom, they wipe themselves not well, etc. Things can spread. Even Lice, for example.

Look up Pinworms online.
Here is one link:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/parasitic/pinworm...

It seems to me, your Pediatrician saying to just retreat her in 2 weeks, is lacking in advice. And really incorrect.
As I said, my son's school, per the flier sent home to all students parents, it said to keep an eye out for 2 MONTHS. And that the eggs etc. can live on surfaces for a FEW WEEKS, and it can live on and be on various... surfaces. NOT just on bedding or clothing.

Also, being your daughter has pinworms, and for so long... the school should have been notified... and so that they can also alert the other parents. At my son's school, that is what they did. The parent of the infected child, told the Teacher. The Teacher told the school health room. That same day, a flier was sent home to all the student's parents. AND it was ANONYMOUS, no one knew, WHICH kid was infected. But the parents were alerted. It is a health issue. School needs to know. Just like with Lice or the Flu.

And did your son get treated too?

1 mom found this helpful
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J.T.

answers from Washington DC on

Pinworms are pretty common, so fear not. Do the kiddos run around a lot outside without shoes? Do you have pets too? Idk, we got wormed at least once a year when we were kids when the farm animals got their worming medicine. I don't think my parents wormed themselves, just us kids. They grow out of it eventually. I am sure hygeine plays a role-but kids are generally pretty dirty, especially if they play outside! Fear not-I have never heard of anyone dying of a typical case of pinworms. Most people have worms living in their gut-they just don't know they do. I actually had a doctor tell me that once.

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