Yes, pinworms (Enterobius vermicularis) can cause bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis), often due to the intense anal itching, restlessness, and irritation that disturbs sleep, which can affect bladder control, and the worms can even irritate the urethra. It's a recognized symptom, alongside sleeplessness, irritability, and teeth grinding, especially in children with infection.
Less common signs of worms include:
wetting the bed. irritated skin around the anus.
Rarely, having many pinworms in the body can cause infection of female genitals. The worms can travel from the anal area to the vagina. Other rare complications of a pinworm infection can include: Urinary tract infections.
What are the symptoms of pinworms? They are usually harmless and produce no symptoms except severe anal itching. This itching can sometimes cause nervousness and irritability during the day and restlessness and difficulty in sleeping during the night.
If the worms spread to your organs, you might develop additional symptoms months later. These include: Digestive symptoms (loss of appetite, diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting blood, black stool) Urinary symptoms (difficulty peeing, blood in your pee, leaking pee)
Of urinary system diseases, parasitic diseases such as schistosomiasis (bilharziasis) and trichomoniasis effect lots of people and often give rise to renal and lower urinary tract diseases. Echinocoocosis and filariasis rarely effect urinary system.
Some infected people have reported abdominal pain. Occasionally, pinworms can move to the vaginal area, causing irritation and inflammation.
Fortunately, pinworms are easily treated with anti-parasitic medication, which is available by prescription or over the counter. If left untreated, a pinworm infection typically won't cause any serious problems, according to Shirley. In rare cases, the worms may enter the vagina and cause a discharge in girls.
If your child has threadworm, they may: have an itchy bottom, which may become red and inflamed from scratching. be irritable and generally 'out of sorts' not sleep very well.
Call Your Doctor If:
Pinworm is seen. Skin around the anus gets red or tender. Anal itching lasts more than 1 week. You think your child needs to be seen.
Although anyone can become infected with pinworms, it's most common in children younger than 10 years old. Kids that age often have their fingers in their mouths, and they aren't always great about washing their hands. Schools, preschools and day care centers are common sources of pinworm infection.
The medications used for the treatment of pinworm are either mebendazole, pyrantel pamoate, or albendazole. Pyrantel pamoate is available without prescription. Treatment involves two doses of medication with the second dose given two weeks after the first dose.
If you have a large number of worms in the intestine, you might have:
Recent stress: such as a move, new school or sibling, death or a divorce in the family. Medical problem: Although most children do not have a physical cause for their wetting, an underlying problem such as urinary tract infection, diabetes, bowel problems, or an upper airway obstruction can contribute to the problem.
Any symptoms or signs patient might have, specifically itch (particularly intense, nocturnal, perineal itching is common with threadworms) and if any recurrent abdominal pain. Any previous episodes of threadworm. Any sleep disturbance and irritability at night. Any symptoms of vulvovaginitis.
Sharing toys, bedding, clothing, toilet seats, or baths may spread pinworms. The eggs are light and can float in the air. One to two months after swallowing the pinworm egg, an adult worm will travel to the anal area. A person is contagious as long as the female worm is discharging eggs to the skin around the anus.
At night, the female adult worms deposit their eggs outside the rectum near the anal area. One way to detect pinworms is to shine a flashlight on the anal area. The worms are tiny, white, and threadlike. If none are seen, check for 2 or 3 additional nights.
Risk factors for pinworms include poor hygiene, eating after touching contaminated items and living with an individual who is identified as egg positive.
Children over the age of one should ideally be dewormed every six months, as paediatricians and international health guidelines recommend. You may want to deworm your child earlier if you notice these symptoms: Chronic stomach pains or bloating.
How are pinworms treated? Your child will need to take an oral (taken by mouth) anti-parasitic medication to kill the worms. They'll take one dose immediately and another dose two weeks later to be sure all the worms are gone.
It takes 2 to 8 weeks from the time a person is exposed until symptoms start. As long as eggs are present. Eggs can cause infection even when they have been outside the body for as long as 2 to 3 weeks. Recommend parents/guardians call their healthcare provider if they suspect pinworms.
Pinworm infections often produce no symptoms but, when they occur, symptoms can include:
By an infected child not washing hands after using the bathroom. If the child then touches playmates or toys, he/she may pass on the eggs. Pinworm eggs can also be transferred to the fingers from clothing or bedding, and then spread around the home.
Although there is little substantial evidence to suggest home remedies can treat pinworms, potential options include:
The medicine should start to work straight away but it may take several days to kill all the worms. It's important to take the medicine as a pharmacist or doctor tells you. Do not stop early if you have been told to take it for several days.