If your child's bum is itchy and the anus is red, this may be due to pinworms. This harmless and common ailment of families with children is treated with prescription-free medication, but if the problem is persistent, the treatment of pinworms may require medical help.
- The eradication of pinworms is usually successful with prescription-free medication.
- If the problem persists or your child's skin is infected from scratching, book an appointment with our paediatrician.
Pinworms are not harmful to health, but they can make a child feel unpleasant. These signs and symptoms may indicate that your child has a pinworm infection:
- Itchy bum, especially in the evenings and at night
- Itching in the vagina
- Restless nights due to bothersome itching Bedwetting in some cases
- Irritated and reddish genital area
- Abdominal pain
- Light, shuttle-like pinworms 3–13 mm long visible in the stool or at the anus, where female pinworms migrate to lay eggs at night.
If, despite the symptoms, you cannot see pinworms, the child may undergo a pinworm test for laboratory analysis. Our doctor will give further instructions.
There is no need to panic about pinworms that live in the human intestines, as they are a harmless and common ailment in families with children attending daycare and schools.
Your family may be infected even if you take care of your child and clean your home.
Infection occurs when the eggs of the pinworm enter the mouth. Inconspicuously small pinworm eggs spread from person to person through hands, bedding, toys or door handles.
Pinworm infections are common in children, but adults can also become infected.
The treatment of a pinworm infection is simple, but requires some effort. Here's how it works:
- Medication. Prescription-free pinworm medications are available from pharmacies. Treat the whole family at the same time – including asymptomatic family members. Repeat the treatment after two weeks to ensure that the eradication is successful.
- Cleaning. Change your bedding and clean the home the next day – after both treatments with medication. Regular cleaning is enough, but pay special attention to the toilet and door handles.
- Laundry. Wash the bedding, towels and underwear at a minimum temperature of 60 degrees. Also, wash the plush toys the child sleeps with or put them aside for a few days so that any worm eggs on them die.
- Hygiene. Remind the child to wash their hands every time they go to the toilet and before eating. Cut the child's fingernails so that the eggs of the worm do not accumulate under the fingernails and cause further infections.
- Water and moisturising cream. You can relieve the itching of the child's bum by spraying the area around the anus with water – this also flushes the worms down the drain. Irritation of the skin and mucous membranes can be eased with moisturising creams available from pharmacies.
- Break the cycle. Tell the daycare centre or school about the worm infection so that the worms are not transmitted from one child to another.
- Reassure the child. Pinworms may feel disgusting or scary. You can reassure your child by telling them that this is an ordinary and harmless condition that they do not need to be embarrassed about.
Eradication of pinworms is usually successful and the itching often eases already after a couple of days after taking the medication.
In some cases, the eradication of pinworms does not succeed and they may remain a nuisance despite the treatment.
If the symptoms persist, you can try the medication again. If that does not help either, turn to our doctor – you may need a prescription medicine to eradicate the pinworms.
In children, the genital area may become inflamed due to scratching at night. In this case, it is best to seek help from a doctor.
The expert for this article was our paediatrician Maria Enlund-Cerullo.
Pinworms are light-coloured, 3–13 mm long, fusiform parasites that resemble a piece of thread.
An infection occurs when the eggs of pinworms enter the mouth. This usually occurs by coming into contact with the hand of an infected person or by touching bedding, toys and clothes.
The egg of a pinworm develops into a pinworm in about six weeks. Since the infection is transmitted through eggs, it also takes six weeks from the infection to the appearance of symptoms.
If your child's bum is itchy in the evening or at night, they may be infected with pinworms. The child's skin around the genital area may also be red. You can see the pinworms in the child’s stool or around the anus.
Most people with a pinworm infection are asymptomatic, so you may not notice the infection yourself. An infection can be verified with a laboratory analysis.
Pinworms are rare among children under two. If there is a pinworm infection in your family, you should treat the whole family at the same time – including asymptomatic family members.
If your child has a lot of pinworms, you may see them in the stool.
Pinworms can be easily eradicated with a prescription-free medication available from pharmacies.
It is important to prevent new infections by cleaning your home and changing the bedding the day after treatment. Wash the bedding, plush toys, towels and underwear at a minimum temperature of 60 degrees.
Report the pinworm infection to the child's daycare centre or school in order to break cycle of infections.
Primarily, pinworms are eradicated with a medication containing pyrvinium, which is available from pharmacies without a prescription.
In some cases, you may need a doctor's prescribed pinworm medication that contains mebendazole.
If there are pinworm infections in your family, you should clean the home and change your bedding the day after treatment.
Regular cleaning is adequate, but be pay particular attention to cleaning toilets and door handles.
Wash the bedding, plush toys, towels and underwear at a minimum temperature of 60 degrees.
Pinworm eggs can remain alive and infectious for a few days.
Your child can go to daycare and school even if they have a pinworm infection. Be sure to report the pinworm infection to the daycare centre or school so that any other infections can be detected and treated.
In practice, it is very difficult to get rid of pinworms without medication, because a person with worms can easily infect themselves again and again.
An untreated pinworm infection can cause unnecessary suffering to its bearer, so it is always a good idea to eradicate it with medication. The medication is safe and has no significant side effects.
The itching of your child's bum will become easier in a couple of days after the start of the medication. Before that, you can alleviate the itch by spraying the child's genital area with water. You can treat irritated skin with a moisturising cream.
Mehiläinen's paediatricians are here to help you if pinworms are a problem for your family.
Our general practitioners can also help small patients.
Do you have any questions about pinworms? Our Digital Clinic is a quick and easy way to get answers.
Remote appointments can be used to treat symptoms and diseases that do not require a physical examination.
Consult the Digital child health clinic to ask questions about your child’s care or parenting. Qualified midwives and nurses provide support 24/7, either for a one-time fee or a fixed monthly fee.
