Worms in Children

WHAT IS IT?

The most common type of worms that infects school-aged children are threadworms, which are also called pinworms. It is pretty contagious and the whole family can become infected.

SYMPTOMS

• An itchy bottom
• Irritable
• Disturbed sleep
• Reduced appetite
• In girls, there may also be redness and itching around the vaginal area.

To confirm your diagnosis, examine your child at night. You might see tiny white moving threads around the anus (and the opening of the vagina in girls).

TREATMENT FOR WORMS

Drugs such as pyrantel (Combantrin) or mebendazole (Combantrin-1) are very safe and often recommended:

Pyrantel (Combantrin) 10 mg/kg (maximum 1 g) as a single dose Repeat the dose after 2 weeks Safe to use from 1 year’s of age Treat all family members Safe in pregnancy

Mebendazole (Combantrin-1) For children above 10 kg, take 100 mg as single dose For children under 10 kg, take 50 mg as single dose Repeat the dose after 2 weeks Safe to use from 6 months of age Treat all family members Not recommended in pregnancy

NON-MEDICINAL APPROACHES

• Discourage your child from scratching their bottom
• Keep your child’s fingernails clean and trimmed
• Avoid nail biting or thumb sucking
• After going to the toilet, wash hands and under nails thoroughly
• Wash bedding, towels and toys in hot water.
• Vacuum your floor regularly to remove any eggs. 
• Clean surfaces in your house that are regularly touched e.g. door handles
• Avoid eating food that has fallen on the floor

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR

• Treatment failure
• Your child passes a large worm
• Your child has other symptoms e.g. abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or low energy levels