Threadworms in Toddlers: Symptoms & Treatment | Parenting Hub
Threadworms (pinworms) cause night-time bottom itch in toddlers. Treatment is simple, but the whole household needs it.
Threadworms are common, harmless and easily treated. The classic sign is night-time bottom itch — and the whole household needs to be treated at once.
Signs
- Itchy bottom, especially at night
- Disturbed sleep, irritability
- Sometimes you can see tiny white thread-like worms (around 1 cm) around the bottom or in the nappy
- Girls may also have vaginal itch or irritation
Treatment
Treatment is a single dose of an over-the-counter worming medicine (pyrantel or mebendazole — ask the pharmacist for the right age dose), repeated in 2 weeks. Everyone in the household should be treated at the same time, even without symptoms, otherwise it bounces around.
Stop the spread
- Wash hands and scrub under nails after toilet/nappy change and before food
- Wash bed sheets, pyjamas and towels in hot water on the same day everyone is treated
- Vacuum bedrooms; damp-dust hard surfaces
- Keep nails short
- Daily shower or bath in the morning to wash away eggs
Babies under 12 months
Some worming medicines aren't recommended under 12 months — see your GP rather than self-treating in this age group.
When to seek help
- Baby under 12 months — see GP, don't self-treat
- Symptoms not improving 2 weeks after the second dose
- Blood in stool or weight loss
Common questions
Are they dangerous?
No — annoying but harmless. They don't cause serious illness in healthy children.
Do pets need treatment?
No — human threadworms only live on humans. Pet worms are a different parasite.