Pinworms In Toddlers: Symptoms & Treatment

Symptoms & Treatment for Pinworms in Toddlers

Pinworms are small (¼ inch in size) white parasites found in one's intestine. These worms survive in the upper half of the colon, and feed on the nutrients in the intestine. Pinworms are a common problem in toddlers and children.

Though the worms live in the colon, the female worm lays eggs in the anal region causing itching around the rectum especially at night and in the morning. When the child scratches the rectum, these eggs lodge themselves in the fingernails and enter the stomach again when the hand is put in the mouth.

Symptoms of Pinworms in Toddlers

Other than itching in the anus, some symptoms of pinworms in toddlers include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, bed wetting, irritability, weight loss, and nausea.

Though these are the greater symptoms of pinworms, there are many more signs that indicate infestation of worms in a toddler. Worms may also cause blisters or ulcers inside the lower lip, bleeding in gums, nosebleed, dark circles, and headache. Other than these symptoms, you may also notice behavioral changes in the toddler. Apart from insomnia, he will also seem restless especially at night and become generally hyperactive. Look out for signs like grinding of teeth at night, twitching eyelids, sensitivity to light, and rectum bleeding. If it's a girl child, she will also experience vaginal itching. The problem with pinworms, or any worms, is that sometimes it's asymptomatic. It may show few of the above-mentioned symptoms or may show no symptoms at all. And, these symptoms also vary widely in different toddlers.

Treatment for Pinworms in Toddlers

Pinworms eggs can be found on underclothing and also on bedding sometimes. So, it's very important to clean all clothing, underclothing, and bedding of the suffering child. Also, ensure your child has short nails, doesn't scratch the anal area, and washes hands frequently with water and soap especially before eating. Also, discourage him from biting nails. Consult a doctor immediately when you notice pinworms or symptoms of the same. It can be easily cured with medication but after that you need to take utmost care of hygiene. All the other family members also need to be treated for the same. A remedy you can try at home is mixing garlic paste with ½ pinch of petroleum jelly and applying it on the anal area to kill the eggs and bring relief from itching. Pinworms are contagious in nature so make sure you bathe your toddler with water and soap if he goes to daycare or preschool.