Testing for pinworm?

Question

I've noticed that my son has been scratching his bottom a lot for the past 2 days, and I have a feeling that he may have pinworm.

How can I test for it? I know it can be cured with medicine, but obviously I don't want to give it to him unless I'm 100% sure he has pinworm.

On http://familydoctor.org/139.xml#1 that site I read something about testing.

But how can I get him to submit to that type of test? And how should I position him/get him to cooperate with me?

Answer 1

that is the test i have always heard about for testing for pinworm. ask your doctor for more info. The medication will take care of it. However if one family member has pin worm then the whole family should be treated because it is transmitted easily. make sure everyone washes their hands very well all the time.

Answer 2

The only real test is to catch one of the buggers. The best way is to wake him first thing in the morning. Before he even gets up out of bed, take a piece of scotchtape and stick it right on his bumhole. Seriously. Pinworms (Enterobius Vermicularis) tend to migrate out of the anal sphincter area while we sleep (warm out under the covers). You literally catch them on the tape. Stick the tape tight on the sphincter and gently rub it for a few seconds, then quickly peel it off. Then stick the tape to a microscope slide (or to another piece of clear tape if no slide available. The your doctor simply looks under the microscope to see what you've caught. Ideally, this should be done on three seperate mornings to get a 90% sensitivity.

Ideally though, the treatment is so benign, rather than making my patients suffer through three nights of an intensely itchy bum, I get a single specimen and then treat. The cure is a single chewable tablet. Can be repeated in 2 weeks if need be. Usually need to treat the whole family (except for pregnant women and children under 24 months).

Good luck!

Answer 3

ALM is right. You can skip the "tape" test if your son is too fidgety (or just freaked out) and merely collect a stool sample (using the kit from the pediatrician). It's pretty easy.

After everyone is treated, instruct EVERYONE in the house to wash hands after using the toilet and before eating (sorry guys, but many men are notorious for not washing if they "only pee"--in reality, your household toilet seat is one of the filthiest things you can touch!--source: recent article in "Just Simple" mag.)

I put up a sign above the toilet AND sink, to remind everyone, INCLUDING guests, esp. children.

Another common source of infection are school lavatories. Our kids' middle school and elementary school provided NO SOAP! Urge your school principals and health coordinators to provide soap and instruct kids. This prevents many more parasites than just pinworms, and other diseases as well!

Answer 4

if he's scratchin his backside and you've noticed it, it bet he's infected and probably caught it from school almost 100%. you can get a raspberry falvoured drink that is like a milk shake, it comes in sachets in powder, it wont harm you if you dont have them. the whole family need to take it and you need to wash all the towels, and other things in the bathroom, it very infectious, you can try and check by looking after him when he uses the toilet but the usually disappear into the stool on hitting water and hide, he will notice eventually if you do nothing as one day he will look down as he's using the toilet and see his stool sprouting white moving live worms like Medussa's head of hair. try an keep him from biting his nails, putting fingers in his mouth that how the eggs transfer. check out this for proper informative info, and good luck:

http://www.mcneilhealth.co.uk/familyhealth/index_117__117.html

Answer 5

check his bowel movements... if you notice little thread like fibers moving in the stool itself then you can pretty much be sure he's gott'em... old cure is to have hime swallow a clove a garlic ...

Answer 6

take him to the doctor and he will get a specimen as well as lab work and the doctor will test it out to make sure.