Does your little one scratch his backside at night? Let's learn about this pinworm infection!

Does your little one wake up at night and scratch his backside? Does he sometimes not sleep well, and he is restless and tossing and turning? Many parents are worried about this. The main reason for this can be a very common, but easily transmitted worm infection. Today we are talking about this worm infection, namely Pinworms. Don't worry, this is usually not serious, and it can be easily cured.

What is Pinworm Infection?

Simply put, it is an infection caused by a type of small parasitic worm that lives in our intestines and rectum. We also call these worms "threadworms" because they look like little white threads. They are usually about an inch to half an inch long. Medically, these worms are called `(Enterobius vermicularis)`. This infection is called `(enterobiasis)`.

This is a very common condition all over the world, especially among children. So don't worry if your child develops this. With proper treatment, it can be cured quickly.

How common is this?

This is more common than you might think. It is especially common among school-age children between the ages of 4 and 11. Because they play together at school and daycare centers, these worm eggs can easily spread from one person to another.

Adults who care for children and other people in the household are more likely to be infected. Therefore, if one person in the household gets sick, it is very important that others take care of it as well.

What are the symptoms? How do you recognize it?

Most of the time, about a third of people with this infection don't show any symptoms, but others may experience some discomfort, especially at night.

How is this worm problem transmitted?

This worm problem is caused by worm eggs entering the mouth. Since these eggs are too small to be seen with the naked eye, this happens without us even realizing it. Let's look at how this cycle occurs:

1. Pinworm egg laying: The female pinworm, which lives in an infected person's body, comes out of the anus at night and lays eggs in the surrounding skin. One pinworm can lay more than 10,000 eggs!

2. Itching: These eggs cause extreme itching around the anus.

3. Eggs on the fingers: When a child scratches the area, invisible eggs settle on their fingers and under their nails .

4. Spread of eggs: These eggs then spread to everything the child touches (toys, tables, doorknobs). This can easily happen if hands are not washed properly.

5. Entering the mouth: If someone else touches a contaminated area and puts their hand in their mouth, the eggs will enter the body.

6. The cycle begins again: The eggs that have been ingested burst inside the intestines and become worms. Then the female worms return to the anus to lay eggs. The cycle continues like this.

Can this cause other complications?

Most of the time, serious complications do not occur. However, there are a few things that can happen rarely:

• Bacterial infections: Excessive scratching can damage the skin, allowing bacteria to enter and cause infections.
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs): If worms travel to the vagina and enter the urethra, they can cause urinary tract infections.
• Other problems: Very rarely, these worm infections have also been associated with conditions such as appendicitis and vaginitis. However, these are very rare.

How exactly does the doctor find this?

If you have any doubts about your child's symptoms, it's best to see a doctor. The doctor will use two main methods to confirm this.

1. Seeing worms with your own eyes

Sometimes you can see the worms yourself.

• When to check: 2-3 hours after the child sleeps. This is when the worms come out to lay eggs.
• How to check: Use a flashlight to slowly and completely examine the area around the child's anus.
• What does it look like?: White, thin, and looks like small threads moving around. Sometimes it can be found in underwear.

2. The "Tape Test"

A simple test to detect pinworm eggs.

1. This should be done as soon as you wake up in the morning, before the child gets out of bed, or before going to the washroom.

2. Take a piece of transparent scotch tape , place the sticky side over the child's anus, and slowly pull it back completely .

3. The eggs on the skin around the anus will stick to the tape.

4. Carefully place this piece of tape in a small plastic bag and take it to your doctor. He will look at it under a microscope to confirm if there are any eggs.

How is it treated?

As a treatment for this, the doctor will prescribe an anti-worm medication.

• This medicine should be taken in two doses. After taking the first dose now, the second dose should be taken exactly two weeks later. The reason for this is that although the first dose kills the existing worms, it does not kill the worm eggs. The second dose is given to kill the worms that hatch from those eggs in two weeks.
• The medications commonly given are `(Pyrantel pamoate)` and `(Albendazole)`.
• Most importantly: The doctor may advise that not only the child with the infection, but also everyone else in the household should be treated at the same time. This is because even if the child does not have symptoms, others may still be infected. If you do not do this, the child can be reinfected by other family members.

Warning: If you are pregnant, have a child under 2 years old, or have any other medical condition, always talk to your doctor before taking any medication.

How do you prevent it from recurring? (The most important part!)

In addition to taking medication, it is also very important to take care of cleanliness. Otherwise, there is a high chance of this happening again.