WORMS...and kids!

[Rachel&boys]

I am curious about worms and how to treat them naturally.

I am thinking maybe my boys could have worms. I have heard you grab a torch and look at there cute bottoms and if you see white threads then thats worms???

If I find out this is the case, what do I do to treat them?
Should the whole family be treated?

I am on the hunt

[moo]

There a few symptoms that could indicate worms, I have never actually seen them with the naked eye, so can't tell you if there's any truth to the torch theory.

Symptoms can include an itchy anus, irritability/excitability, lots of lip licking and redness around the mouth area (like chapped lips).........um, can't think of any others, it's too early!!

I don't know if my boys have ever actually had worms, but a naturopath friend of mine said it's good to give the whole family a worm out once or twice a year. You can purchase Rainbow herbal worming mixture at most health food stores. It is best to treat the whole family at the same time, as they can be easily spread.

[Bronnie]

yes, its true. you've gotta start when it's dark, and be very quick with the torch, those little white wriggling things are worms. they are very itchy and you don't have to be a child to get them. i've had them twice this year. i use combantrin, cos, hey, i'll get a choccy fix any way i can

[Ampersand]

We all used Combantrim last year with no ill effect, although had I known about a natural alternative, I would have tried that instead. We saw no sign of the little critters but Jocasta had symptoms of anal and vaginal rash, which we had previously tried treating as thrush and all manner of ailments for ages in vain. So, obviously it was worms. She also had a disconcerting habit of shoving her fingers up her nose chronically, which apparently is another sign. The girls wriggling in bed would ring alarm bells for us again and when the whole family has been treated, you also need to thoroughly wash all sheets and blankets to prevent reinfection. Kids need constant reminding about good hygiene afterwards too.

If you have pets, the recommendation is to treat pets and humans together every few months! Ugh.

Happy hunting!

[Ampersand]

Oh, you can also try eating lots and lots of garlic as a preventative measure in the future, as it is a natural deterrent for worms. Good luck getting it into the kids, though. Ours are used to it now but it was quite a learning experience, to say the least. Use capsules if you prefer .

[lizlea]

keeping fingernails short and getting kids to wear undies to bed (if they are out of nappies) can help too. But as a preschool teacher I end up doing the whole family once a year to be sure!

[Rachel&boys]

Thanks ladies, well I did the torch thing about 12md, and did not see anything, plus my boy kept clenching his bottom cheeks in his sleep, it was quite funny actually, but no sign of white threads. His behaviour has been excitable and over the top, and waking/restless, and itchy bottom.

So i think the whole family this weekend will be wormed just incase- fun

Is combantrim safe for 11mth bubbas?

[Bronnie]

no, the pack says see your doctor for babes under 12 months.

miranda, i think that nose thing is just an old wives tale. worms are in your gut, not your nose. how could there possibly be a connection? i think it came about in the 70's cos people had to blame their kids' need to pick their noses on something. (I constantly scratch my nose, part habit and part cos it's just itchy) and I certainly don't have worms all the time. I haven't had them for a few years, until the 2 times this year I've had them.

If you can't see them on a child's bottom, you can look in their poos.

[katrina]

There are millions of reccommendations to prevent worms. Hygeine most important, always wash hands after going to the toilet and before eating, keep nails short and discourage nail biting, wear shoes when playing outside (Zane's a chronic non-shoe wearer outside, so am I), high sugar/fat diets are more likely to increase worms, worms also thrive on an acidic environment so limit acidic fruits if the person has a predisposition to worms, wash raw fruits and veges and cook meat throughly. All of these hints came from my Homeopathic book. They can be treated with Calc Carb, Cina or Silicea depending on characteristics.

[mama_bel]

If you go the pharameutical treatment I read that Combantrim (sp?) treats more worms than we actually have in Australia... The recommended product was Vermox - there's a family pack with suspension for the kids and tabs for the adults. I think it's a 12mth+ product.

Grated carrot and garlic are both recommended for treating worms - I have a Carrot Soup recipe which has tons of both in it - bascially some onion and garlic lightly sauteed, about 6 grated carrots, water and a vegie stock cube or Vecon from the Health section. Parsley to garnish. It's yummy. I use that as a preventative. If I've SEEN worms in my children I go the mainstream poison though, I have an issue with parasites!
Babies can be treated with Combantrim (one of their products at least) from 6 mths. I've never done this though, just read it someplace recently.
Good luck!
Bel