Pinworms in Children

Pinworms: What Ontario Parents Need to Know

Found your child scratching their bottom at night? You might be dealing with pinworms. The good news is they're incredibly common, completely harmless, and easy to treat. While nobody wants worms in their house, this is one of those childhood experiences that lots of families go through.

What's going on?

Pinworms are tiny white worms about the size of a staple that live in your child's intestines. They're the most common worm infection in Canada, and they love preschools and elementary schools where little hands touch everything.

Here's how it works: the adult female worms come out at night to lay eggs around your child's bottom. This causes itching, your child scratches, gets eggs under their fingernails, and then spreads them by touching toys, doorknobs, or other kids. It sounds gross, but it's actually a sign of a normal, active childhood.

The whole cycle takes about a month, and pinworms don't cause any serious health problems. They're just annoying and itchy.

What you might notice

- Intense itching around the bottom, especially at night

- Difficulty sleeping or restless sleep from the itching

- Irritability during the day from poor sleep

- Sometimes you can actually see tiny white threads in your child's underwear or poop

- Mild stomach pain or nausea (less common)

- Red or scratched skin around the bottom from itching

What helps at home

The key is getting the right medication and breaking the cycle of reinfection. You'll need an over the counter deworming medication like Reese's Pinworm Medicine from the pharmacy. Everyone in your household should take it, even if they don't have symptoms, because pinworms spread so easily within families.

While you're treating, wash everyone's underwear, pajamas, and bed sheets in hot water. Trim fingernails short and scrub hands frequently, especially before meals and after using the bathroom. Try to discourage nail biting and thumb sucking if possible.

You might need to repeat the medication in two weeks since it only kills adult worms, not eggs that might still hatch.

When to worry

Head to the emergency room if your child has severe stomach pain, vomiting, or signs of infection like fever with the pinworms.

Text Arlo or call your doctor if the itching is so bad your child can't sleep, if you're not sure about the diagnosis, or if symptoms don't improve after treatment. We can help you confirm it's pinworms and make sure you're treating everyone properly.

The takeaway

Pinworms are a normal part of childhood that millions of kids get. With the right treatment, they'll be gone in a few weeks. You've got this.

You can always text Arlo and talk to a provider in 5 minutes!

References

- [Pinworms](https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/health-conditions-and-treatments/pinworms) - Caring for Kids (Canadian Paediatric Society)

- [Pinworms (enterobiasis)](https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/article?contentid=801&language=english) - AboutKidsHealth (SickKids)

- [Parasitic worms](https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/parasitic-worms.html) - Government of Canada