5 ways to banish threadworms

Our health visitor Jackie Walsh gives 5 ways to treat threadworms

child treatment

Threadworms are common in children and, although harmless, can cause an extremely itchy bottom, especially at night when the female lays her eggs around the anus (if you check with a torch, you may see them!)

1 Ask your doctor for a suitable medicine and treat the whole family to prevent cross-infection.

2 Wash all bedding, towels, nightclothes and cuddly toys that might be contaminated with eggs.

3 Keep your child’s fingernails short – if he scratches his bottom, eggs can lodge under his nails and be swallowed, then hatch in the intestine.

4 Make sure everyone washes their hands after using the loo and before handling food.   

5 Put a potty-trained child to bed in pants, to reduce the likelihood of him getting eggs on his hands if he scratches.

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