Should I keep my child home from school? You usually don't need to keep your child home if they have a threadworm infection.
Call your child's school or childcare center so that they can take extra steps to prevent the spread to others. Your child can return to school or childcare 24 hours after treatment.
Return to School:
Children with pinworms do not need to miss any child care or school.
Contagious period
As long as eggs are present. Eggs can cause infection even after being off of the body for 2 to 3 weeks.
Pinworm infections are contagious. The worms get into the body when people swallow the tiny pinworm eggs. The eggs can be on contaminated hands, under fingernails, and on things people touch a lot, such as: clothing, bed linens, and towels.
Pinworm infection is spread by the fecal-oral route, that is by the transfer of infective pinworm eggs from the anus to someone's mouth, either directly by hand or indirectly through contaminated clothing, bedding, food, or other articles.
A person is infected with pinworms by ingesting pinworm eggs either directly or indirectly. These eggs are deposited around the anus by the worm and can be carried to common surfaces such as hands, toys, bedding, clothing, and toilet seats.
Washing your hands with soap and warm water after using the toilet, changing diapers, and before handling food is the most successful way to prevent pinworm infection.
Pinworms spread easily. When people who are infected touch their anus, the eggs attach to their fingertips. They can spread the eggs to others directly through their hands, or through contaminated clothing, bedding, food, or other articles. The eggs can live on household surfaces for up to 2 weeks.
Pinworm infection often occurs in more than one family member. Adults are less likely to have pinworm infection, except for mothers of infected children. However, adult sexual partners can transfer the eggs to each other. Pinworms also may infect the vagina and urethra.
Nursery, school and work
If you or your child has threadworms there's no need to stay off nursery, school or work.
Pinworm eggs are infective within a few hours after being deposited on the skin. They can survive up to two (2) weeks on clothing, bedding, or other objects. The pinworms grow to adult size within two (2) to six (6) weeks. Pinworm infections can be spread as long as either worms or eggs are present.
If you have pinworms, don't worry. They don't cause any harm (just itching!), and it won't take long to get rid of them.
Call Your Doctor If:
Pinworm is seen (white, ¼ inch or 6 mm, and moves) Anal itching lasts more than 1 week. You think your child needs to be seen.
Pinworms can come back if your child comes into contact with pinworm eggs again. They can stay alive in your home for up to 2 to 3 weeks. Make sure everyone in your family washes their hands carefully after going to the toilet, changing diapers, and before preparing or eating food. Wash your bed linens and clothes.
Do not scratch. Itching around the anus caused by a pinworm infection usually happens at night. Try wearing gloves, pyjamas, and close-fitting clothing to help prevent scratching.
Adults are rarely affected, except for parents of infected children. Infection often occurs in more than one family member. While an infected person sleeps, female pinworms crawl out of the anus and lay their eggs on the surrounding skin.
Pinworms can usually be treated completely with two doses of over-the-counter medicine called pyrantel pamoate, available in the United States under the brand names Pin-X and Reese's Pinworm Medicine. Take one dose immediately and another dose two weeks later.
Most people don't experience serious complications from pinworm infections, but in rare cases the following complications can occur: Urinary tract infections (UTIs). UTIs can develop if you do not treat the pinworm infection. Vaginitis and endometritis.
How long does pinworms last? The life cycle of a pinworm is 4 to 6 weeks. Without treatment, infestation will continue as long as fresh eggs are being swallowed, unless a person develops immunity to pinworms, which is unusual before age 15.
The medications used for the treatment of pinworm are either mebendazole, pyrantel pamoate, or albendazole. Any of these drugs are given in one dose initially, and then another single dose of the same drug two weeks later. Pyrantel pamoate is available without prescription.
Pinworm eggs can also be transferred to the fingers from clothing or bedding, and then spread around the home. Eggs may be inhaled from the air or deposited onto food and swallowed. Pinworms can survive up to two weeks on clothing, bedding or other objects, if kept at room temperature.
Summary. Pinworm is the most common worm infection in Australia. The major symptom is an itchy bottom, particularly at night. Treatment usually includes a single or 2-dose course of medication that should be taken by all members of the affected household.
Up to half of kids, typically between ages 5 to 10, will get a pinworm infection at some point, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is the most common parasitic infection in the U.S.