Parasites are a very common and annoying affliction but there are many ways to both treat them and minimise their disturbance in your family's life. Threadworms, also known as pin worms, are the most common type of worms in children.
Threadworms are like small white pieces of thread that can be seen crawling on the anus at night (when they come out to lay eggs). It is estimated that one female threadworm can lay up to 16,000 eggs!
Some signs and symptoms that can indicate threadworms are an itchy anus, itchy nose, bloating, loose stools and loss of appetite, in girls, there may also be redness and itching around the vaginal area. As well as behavioral changes like a child who bites and scratches becomes irritable and angry.
Worms can be spread when children scratch their bottom, which causes the eggs to collect under their fingernails. When the child touches their mouth with their hands, they can unintentionally ingest the worm eggs. Additionally, the eggs can be transmitted indirectly through contaminated food, dust, or objects. These eggs have the ability to survive outside the body for a duration of up to two weeks.
Worms, especially threadworms, can be very tenacious and hard to eradicate at times.
- Despite the itching, encourage your child not to scratch.
- Keep your child’s fingernails clean and trimmed. Try to stop your child from biting their nails or sucking their thumb.
- Have your child wash their hands and under their nails thoroughly after going to the toilet.
- As threadworms lay their eggs at night, washing the anal area in the morning can help reduce the number of eggs on the body also applying a barrier like coconut oil at night around the anus can make it harder for worms to move around and lay eggs.
- Change the child’s underwear and bed linen daily.
- Eating a handful of raw pepitas each day or grinding them up and sprinkling them on food or adding them to smoothies can also help discourage parasites.
- Wash clothes, pyjamas, sheets and pillowcases in hot water.
- Disinfect the toilet seat often with antiseptic cleaner.
- Vacuum the floor often to remove any eggs.
- Clean surfaces in the house that your children may touch, in particular door handles.
- Discourage your child from eating food that has fallen on the floor.
You should seek medical advice...
- If threadworm infections repeatedly occur despite treatment and preventive measures.
- If there is abdominal pain, vomiting, blood in the stool, or signs of infection.
Santonine: This remedy can be tried when Cina fails. Itchy nose, restless sleep, and twitching of muscles.
Granatum: Pain around the bellybutton, accompanied by an itchy anus. Hunger and salivation.
Spigelia: Pain around the navel. Intense crawling sensation around the anus. Abdominal pain that is piercing and sharp. Nausea may accompany the pain. Paleness of the face and blue rings around eyes. Mucus in stool.
Teucrium: Sensation of crawling around the anus. Child is restless at night. Offensive breath, loss of sense of smell.
Sulphur: Itching and redness around the navel.
Caladium: Vaginal itching.
Sabadilla: Anal itching alternating with the itching of the ears or the nose.
Merc sol: Grinding of teeth during sleep. Profuse salivation.
Ant crud: Anal itchy and burning. Diarrhoea alternating with constipation. Bloated tummy.
There is also a great combination remedy that can be purchased by Narayani called 'Worms 30C mix 36' feel free to get in touch if you would like to order one of these.
Other strategies include the use of Silica and Nat Phos Tissue Salts and the flower essence 'Garlic' for the removal or parasites and entities.
Further subjects worth investigating in relation to parasites is heavy metal toxicity and candida overgrowth.
I hope this information has been helpful, as always seek medical advice if you have concerns about your child's symptoms.