Threadworms

Threadworms (pinworms) are tiny worms in your poo. They’re common in children and are spread easily. You can treat them without seeing a GP.

Symptoms of threadworms

You may spot threadworms in your poo. The worms look like threads of white cotton and are about 1cm long.

You might also see them around your child’s bottom (anus). The worms usually come out at night while your child is sleeping.

Other symptoms include:

• extreme itching around the anus or vagina, particularly at night
• irritability and wakening up during the night

Less common symptoms include:

• weight loss
• wetting the bed
• irritated skin around the anus

When to get medical advice

If you or your child have threadworms you can get advice and treatment directly from a pharmacy.

Your pharmacist may recommend that you speak to your GP if required.

Treatment for threadworms

Medication will kill the threadworms but not the eggs. Eggs can live for up to 2 weeks outside the body.

There are hygiene methods you can follow to stop becoming infected again. Do these for 2 weeks if you’re taking medicine, or for 6 weeks if you’re not taking medicine.

• wash hands and scrub under fingernails – particularly before eating, after using the toilet or after changing nappies
• encourage children to wash their hands regularly
• shower every morning
• rinse toothbrushes before using them
• keep fingernails short
• wash sleepwear, sheets, towels and soft toys (at a hot temperature) every day for several days after treatment
• disinfect kitchen and bathroom surfaces, using hot water
• vacuum and dust with a damp cloth
• make sure everyone in the household wears underwear at night and changes it in the morning.

• Treatment from a pharmacist

  Mebendazole is the main medication used to treat threadworm infection. It can be bought over the counter from your localpharmacy or prescribed by your GP. This is usually a chewable tablet or liquid you swallow.

  Treat everyone over 2 years old in your household, even if they do not have symptoms.

  Tell the pharmacist if you need to treat a child under 2 years old, or if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Treatment might not be suitable and you may need to speak to a GP.

  If you cannot take medicine you can treat threadworms by using hygiene methods for 6 weeks.

  Who’s most at risk?

  Threadworm infection most commonly affects young children because they often forget to wash their hands and share toys with other children.

  People who are in close contact with someone with a threadworm infection also have a high risk of infection. This is why all members of a household need to be treated when someone has a threadworm infection.

  How are threadworms passed on?

  Threadworms spread when their eggs are swallowed. They lay eggs around your bottom (anus) or vagina, which can cause an itchy bottom. The eggs get stuck on your fingers when you scratch. They can then pass on to anything you touch, including:

  • clothes
  • toys
  • toothbrushes
  • kitchen or bathroom surfaces
  • bedding
  • food

  Eggs can pass to other people when they touch these surfaces and then touch their mouth. The eggs can survive up to 2 weeks. The larvae hatch from the eggs in your gut after you swallow them, and take 1 to 2 months to mature into threadworms.

  Children can get threadworms again after they’ve been treated for them if they get the eggs in their mouth. This is why it’s important to encourage children to wash their hands regularly.