Medical Questions » Gut (Intestines) Questions » Question No. 427
| Question: | My son has worms—Ugh! Please tell me about them, in a nice way! |
| Answer: | The fact that your son has worms is not a reflection on his personal hygiene, but on the hygiene of someone else.
The common worms in Australia are threadworms, and these appear as short pieces (about 3 mm long) of white cotton thread on the motions. They may also be seen around the anus, particularly at night. They cause itching around the anus and slight abdominal discomfort, but rarely anything more severe. The worms lay eggs in the faeces, and if a person is not careful with their personal hygiene, the eggs may contaminate the fingers, then food, and be swallowed by another person where the eggs hatch, grow into adult worms, and start the cycle again.
Very effective treatments are available without a prescription from chemists, but if the problem recurs, a doctor' s advice should be obtained.
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