Why should you be thinking about getting rid of pinworms? Because a pinworm infection is quite possibly the most disgusting thing you've ever heard of. Don't scoff, because pinworms are also the most common worm infection in the United States. The pinworm (Genus Enterobius) is a parasitic roundworm of the phylum Nematoda. The best known is the human pinworm, also known as the threadworm Enterobius vermicularis and the more recently discovered Enterobius gregorii. The adult pinworm male is 1-4 mm in length, while the adult female is 8-13 mm and possesses the long, pin-shaped posterior for which the worm is named. The human pinworm is commonly found in children.

Okay, so here's the nightmare scenario: Your child goes to school and somehow breathes in pinworm egg. Then, anywhere from two to six weeks, those pinworms will mature and crawl out of your child's butt and lay eggs near the anus. It gets better. The pinworm eggs cause your child's butt to itch, so they scratch at it, and the pinworm eggs get everywhere: under your kid's nails, on your kid's clothes, on the bedding and even in the dust that hangs around your home. Once this happens, your entire family and your kid's friends and classmates are almost guaranteed to get the same infection. Are you grossed out enough to take pinworms seriously now? Well, here are some things you should know if you want to get rid of pinworms and prevent a pinworm infection.

Treatment of Pinworm

• The first step in getting rid of pinworms is getting tested for pinworms. Your doctor may ask you to help make the diagnosis of pinworm by placing a sticky piece of clear cellophane tape against your child's rectum. Pinworm eggs will stick to the tape and can be seen under a microscope in a laboratory. The doctor might also take some samples from under a child's fingernails to look for eggs. This step is important, because you shouldn't go on trying treat pinworms if you don't have them. A positive test is your first step to getting rid of pinworms. If you test negative you may just be suffering from hemorrhoids, which are probably more painful and itchy.

  If your child has a pinworm infection, the doctor will probably give everyone in your family one dose of an antiworm medicine to eliminate infection. After 2 weeks, the doctor may give a second dose of antiworm medicine. Although the medicine takes care of the worm infection, the itching may last about a week after the medicine is taken. So the doctor may also give your child a cream to help stop the itching. Routine household cleaning measures (including washing everyone's pajamas and bed linens) will also help reduce the spread of pinworm infection to the family.

• Anti-pinworm drugs such as Albenza (albendazole), Vermox or Ovex (mebendazole), Piperazine and Pin-X or Reese's Pinworm Medication (pyrantel pamoate) are commonly used to treat pinworms as well as ascaris lumbricoides (the roundworm). It's not a necessity to visit a doctor to get these drugs, as Pin-X is available as an over-the-counter medication. Reese's Pinworm Medicine is another very common and very effective OTC pinworm treatment. On the other hand, Albenza and Vermox are prescription drugs in the US.

  If prescription medications aren't your thing, or they're too expensive, or you don't have insurance, there are plenty of over-the-counter pinworm medications available that are just as effective as their prescription cousins. The important thing is to treat each member of the family with pinworm medicine to ensure there isn't an recurring infections caused by a second, third, or fourth family member.

  

  These medicines kill the pinworms 95% of the time, but don't kill the eggs. The person being treated may have to return after a time of two weeks to be re-treated. Another precaution is to wash the hands before eating (to prevent any pinworm eggs under fingernails from being ingested) and to wash any area or clothes that have touched by or been in the vicinity of the infected person. Treating the entire family is often necessary for cure.

• Of course, if western medicine or commercial pharmaceutical solutions to pinworm infections aren't your cup of tea, then there are some natural remedies for pinworm infections available as well. One such method is consuming food grade Diatomaceous Earth. It's composed of the remains of single-celled organisms (an algae) from way back in the day when much of the U.S. was still covered in water. It's said that one tablespoon of food grade (that's the important part) diatomaceous earth will cure just about any worm infection, and a number of other intestinal problems as well. Diatomaceous earth isn't just a good natural remedy for pinworms, but is also used in it's various forms as a natural pesticide.
• White willow bark, known primarily as the original source of salycilic acid (i.e., aspirin), is also used as a natural remedy for worms. Two capsules (about 800 mg) of white willow bark extract taken daily for 3-4 weeks (if you can wait that long) should be enough to cure you of a pinworm infection. But, as is the case with many natural remedies, there is no guarantee that this remedy will work. Luckily for you, a pinworm infection isn't considered a very serious infection, and you can find another remedy if this one doesn't work out.

Prevention of Pinworm

Here are a few ways to prevent pinworm infections in your family:

• Remind kids to wash their hands after using the toilet, after playing outside and before eating.
• Make sure your kids shower or bathe every day and change underwear daily.
• Keep kids' fingernails short and clean.
• Tell kids not to scratch around their bottom or bite their nails.
• Wash your kids' pajamas every few days.

If you've already gone through pinworm treatment, then here are a few tips to make sure you prevent any future pinworm infections:

• Wash your bedding and clothing regularly during and after pinworm treatments. Pinworms are an extremely contagious worm infection. The eggs can lay dormant for up to two weeks if they're kept at room temperature, and you'll find them just about everywhere.

  This is why it's important to clean anything and everything the infected person has come into contact with, which includes mopping floors to avoid kicking up dust that may contain worm eggs.

• To avoid getting pinworms again, make sure to wash your hands regularly. Washing your hands and keeping them away from your butt and the butts of others is probably the most effective way to avoid getting a pinworm infection.

  Pinworm eggs aren't a particularly resilient worm egg, and any antibacterial soap will usually insure a worm-free existence. Remember to wash your hands after visiting public places like schools, gyms and any large institutions.

Symptoms of Pinworm

Often, someone can have a pinworm infection without having any symptoms. When symptoms are present, the most common one is itching around the rectum. After pinworm eggs are ingested, it takes about one to two months for itching around the rectum to begin.

The itching is usually worse at night and is caused by worms migrating to the area around the rectum to lay their eggs. When a child scratches the itchy area, the result can be eczema or a bacterial infection around the rectum. In girls, pinworm infection can spread to the vagina and cause a vaginal discharge.

If your child has a pinworm infection, you might also see the worms in the toilet after he or she goes to the bathroom. They look like tiny pieces of white thread and are really small—about as long as a staple. You might also see them on your child's underwear in the morning.

If your child has a pinworm infection, all members of your family will need to be treated with medication to help prevent the infection from coming back. As you're trying to get rid of your child's pinworm infection, remember that pinworms are quite common among kids and aren't harmful. By taking a short course of medication and following some preventative tips, you'll be rid of the worms in no time.