Need Help with Pinworms in Child

We had them last summer after going camping. My 2 year old dipped everything he ate in the sand and so we came home with them. We had to do the entire family, even though mom and dad didn't have it, to finally get rid of them. My daughter didn't show any signs, and so we didn't do her the first time, and then she had them. Apparently they can be spread from person to person even if there aren't any signs. So, I personally would treat the whole family, and make sure that you are using the proper dose, this includes adults because they have to take more than the kids by a lot. I had Target order the chewable pills for me. It took them a few days, but was SO worth it! I think it was about $20 for the whole family of 4. Then, you need to do it again, even though you don't see any signs of worms. This is the only way to get rid of them.

I know that kids can pick them up in sand, litter boxes, dirt, grass, and any other surface that has been touched by someone who has them. I know that they really like to hang out under the fingernails, so I would cut everyone's nails super short and use a nail brush every time they wash their hands for a while.

I know how frustrating this can be! I feel for you and your little ones. Good luck!

Oh, worms are so hard to get rid of, & make us feel so bad when they are present, like we are doing something wrong. The good news, is that pinworms are not a dangerous worm, just annoying.

They hatch & grow in the digestive tract of humans. Adult worms come out of the anus at night & lay eggs at the opening. This causes itching, & when scratched, the eggs can be carried & placed on surfaces to be picked up, or even brought back to the mouth for reinfection. As a result, pinworms can be picked up anywhere - other people contaminate the surfaces. Pinworms do not come from animals, however, they are a human worm. http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/parasitic/pinworm...

For this reason, cleaning bedding regularly, underwear daily, making sure nails are clipped very short, and washing hands after -every- trip to the bathroom, or any time the child needs to scratch, is very important.

As you know, over the counter medications are available, as is prescription. However, the previously used prescription (Mebendazole) is no longer available in the US - some pharmacies can compound the drug on a doctors request. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mebendazole) You may want to consider this, if the OTC drugs continue to not be effective.

Here is a link to a site with a lot of helpful information:
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/pinworms-topic-overview
And there are further links @ the bottom of the page.

Hopefully you are able to find a way to treat & eradicate them! T.

You probably should google pin worms, how you get them. You are only looking at human to human transmission when that isn't the only way you get them. Marie has listed a fair few ways, another is they can be in food that isn't fully cooked.

They are not coming back month after month because you aren't cleaning the surfaces enough. They need a moist environment to live. You need to find the source. I would start with outdoor play equipment, sand box, whatever material you have under play equipment.

I think everyone in the family is suppose to be treated not just the people with visible worms. Good luck!

I'm willing to bet your family is just passing them back and forth. Pin worms are so contagious that you normally treat EVERYONE, sometimes pets included, even if they don't have symptoms, in order to get rid of them.
Keep up with the diligent washing, make sure you are trimming fingernails daily, and ask for prescriptions for everyone in the family. Like with pinkeye, a call to your doctor, if different from your kids, explaining the diagnosis, will be enough to get a prescription called in for the adults in the family.
Good luck!

Last year, one of my son's classmates, had Pinworms. A girl. (I knew it was a girl because I know her Mom).
The SCHOOL sent home, a notice about it and what to look out for and what to do etc. AND the Janitors, RIGHT away, did proper cleaning of the entire classroom/flooring... per sanitation/Dept. of Education rules and protocols for, things like that.
The flier the school sent home... said that to KEEP AN EYE OUT on our own kid, for TWO MONTHS.... because that is how long it can take to manifest/spread/develop per the worms life cycle etc.
The Teacher, ALSO talked to the kids about it and about washing their hands and not putting their hands to their mouth etc.
This was a 1st grade class.

So YES, kids can get it from school/other classmates.
Kids are very handsy, they are not hygienic, they play and go on the carpet etc at school. they do NOT always wash their hands after using the bathroom, they wipe themselves not well, etc. Things can spread. Even Lice, for example.

Look up Pinworms online.
Here is one link:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/parasitic/pinworm...

It seems to me, your Pediatrician saying to just retreat her in 2 weeks, is lacking in advice. And really incorrect.
As I said, my son's school, per the flier sent home to all students parents, it said to keep an eye out for 2 MONTHS. And that the eggs etc. can live on surfaces for a FEW WEEKS, and it can live on and be on various... surfaces. NOT just on bedding or clothing.

Also, being your daughter has pinworms, and for so long... the school should have been notified... and so that they can also alert the other parents. At my son's school, that is what they did. The parent of the infected child, told the Teacher. The Teacher told the school health room. That same day, a flier was sent home to all the student's parents. AND it was ANONYMOUS, no one knew, WHICH kid was infected. But the parents were alerted. It is a health issue. School needs to know. Just like with Lice or the Flu.

And did your son get treated too?

Pinworms are pretty common, so fear not. Do the kiddos run around a lot outside without shoes? Do you have pets too? Idk, we got wormed at least once a year when we were kids when the farm animals got their worming medicine. I don't think my parents wormed themselves, just us kids. They grow out of it eventually. I am sure hygeine plays a role-but kids are generally pretty dirty, especially if they play outside! Fear not-I have never heard of anyone dying of a typical case of pinworms. Most people have worms living in their gut-they just don't know they do. I actually had a doctor tell me that once.