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Threadworm Action Month will be taking place from 6th September
and parents will be urged to check for possible symptoms and
seek advice from their pharmacist, practice Nurse or GP if
they are concerned. Research has revealed that nearly 90%
of parents are unlikely to recognise threadworms (1), yet
around 40% of children below the age of ten are likely to
have them at some stage (2), which means they are at least
as common as head lice!!
Threadworm Action
Month is headed up by Fred Worm, a friendly cartoon character
designed to help de-stigmatise threadworms. Supporting the
Action Month will be the distribution of free Threadworm Checklists
to parents, carers and nursery staff, pharmacy posters, leaflets
and information packs. The aim is to bring threadworms out
of the closet and let parents know that treatment is simple,
effective and available over-the-counter from the pharmacist.
Says Sarah Platts,
Senior Product Manager, Thornton & Ross:
"Threadworm Action
Month has been planned to coincide with children returning
to school and nursery after the summer break - an ideal time
for parents and carers to detect and treat threadworms. Research
has shown that threadworm is an embarrassing subject for most
people, which probably indicates why there is so little understanding
and awareness of this condition."
1. Data on file
October 2003
2. Royal College of General Practitioners, fact sheet 32,
1996
THREADWORM CHECKLIST
40% of children
under 10 are likely to have threadworm at some time, which
makes it as common as head lice, but not as easy to recognise.
If your child
has any of the following, threadworm might be the cause:
- Tiny white threads
in your child's stools
- An itchy bottom
- Bottom scratching
at night
Ask the advice
of your pharmacist if your child has any of the above symptoms.
Keeping
threadworm at bay
A few simple measures
can help you avoid getting or spreading threadworm:
- Scrub hands,
especially finger nails before eating and after going to
the toilet
- Wash underclothes,
pyjamas and bed linen frequently
- Keep finger
nails short
- Don't share
towels and face flannels
THREADWORMS
- Around 40%
of children under the age of 10 are likely to have threadworms
at some stage (1).
- It has been
estimated that 10% of the population harbours threadworms
(2).
- 75% of healthcare
professionals (HCPs) see cases of threadworms over a 12
month period (8% see cases every week). (3)
- 91% of HCPs
say threadworm is an embarrassing subject for parents (3)
- 88% of HCPs
believe that parents are not aware of the symptoms of threadworms
(3)
- Threadworms
are usually passed between children in schools and nurseries
where they are in close contact with each other. They then
pass them on to other members of the family at home.
- Threadworms,
or pinworms, (Enterobius vermicularis) look like
white cotton threads. The female is about 10mm long, and
the male is about 3mm long.
- They are caught
by swallowing the eggs, which then hatch in the intestine
and quickly develop into adult worms.
- Adult threadworms
have a short, stout body with a pointed tail and three lips.
- Male threadworms
die soon after copulation.
- Female threadworms
can lay up to 16,000 eggs before they die.
- The female worms
come out of the anus at night and lay their eggs.
- Threadworm
eggs are so small they cannot be seen by the naked eye.
- The eggs stick
under fingernails and can be swallowed.
- Eggs can survive
for up to 2 weeks on clothing, bedding and carpets.
- The main symptom
of threadworm infestation is intense itching around the
anal area, although some children have no symptoms at all.
- Threadworms
are harmless but can be very irritating and cause disturbed
sleep. Some children develop sore bottoms because of the
itching.
- Threadworms
do not indicate dirtiness or bad diet.
- Piperazine
is the most common drug treatment in the UK and is available
from the pharmacist.
- All family
members should be treated at the same time to prevent cross-infection.
- Treatment should
be repeated two weeks later to get rid of any newly hatched
worms as there is a period of about 14 days between the
worm hatching and being able to lay eggs of its own.
1. Royal college
of General Practitioners, fact sheet 32, 1996
2. www.ncemi.org
3. Data on file, October 2003
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