Embarrassing Illnesses

If you suspect that your child may have threadworms, you could try to look for the worms and begin treatment yourself. Alternatively, you can visit your GP. You should always visit your GP if you think that you may have threadworms and:

• you are pregnant,
• you are breastfeeding, or
• you have a baby under three months old.

Spotting the worms

Threadworms are difficult to see because of their size and colour. The worms are white and not much larger than a staple. Female worms are usually 8-13mm long, and the male worms are 2-5mm long. The male worm is rarely seen because it remains inside the intestine.

The best time to try to see the threadworms is at night, when the female worms come out to lay their eggs. If you are trying to see whether your child has threadworms, the best time to look is 2-3 hours after they have fallen asleep. The worms may be visible on your child's underwear, pyjamas, or bed sheets.

Sometimes, worms can be found in stools (faeces). The worms look like small pieces of white cotton thread, which is where their name comes from.

Threadworm eggs are not visible to the naked eye.

Your GP

If you visit your GP, they will normally be able to diagnose threadworms from the symptoms of itching around the anus and itching at night. Your GP, or a nurse, may also take a moistened swab from around your anus to pick up eggs. The sample can then be sent to a laboratory for testing.