A dreaded term among the likes of elementary school teachers, school nurses, daycare professionals, and the parents of young children, pinworms are small in size, but large in irritation. Never heard of pinworms before? Just received a flyer from your school nurse about them? Googled,“Why is my child’s butt itchy” and came across pinworm infection on WebMD?
Never heard of pinworms before? Just received a flyer from your school nurse about them? Googled, “Why is my child’s butt itchy” and came across pinworm infection on WebMD?
Reese’s Pinworm Medicine has been taking care of these critters since 1986, so we’ve got a lot of experience in the pinworm department.
Pinworms are a worm-like parasite known to infect human intestines, rectum and anal area. While their eggs are microscopic in size, pinworms themselves can be seen with the human eye. 2-13mm in size, these white worms can be found where you least expect them – in yours and your child’s behinds.
Anyone can get pinworms, but some of the most common culprits of getting (and spreading) pinworms are young children. Why? Because there is no one more likely to be scratching their itchy butt in public than a six year old…except maybe a four year old. And before you go blaming Fido for bringing pinworm into your home, it is important to note that humans are the only species that can transfer pinworms.
If a member of your family is facing pinworms, there are some important steps you will have to take to ensure they don’t come back again. Unfortunately, it is incredibly easy for pinworms to spread. All you need is one kid with pinworms to scratch their butt, get the eggs underneath their fingernails, and transport them to, well, everything they touch.
According to the CDC, pinworms can survive for 2 to 3 weeks on surfaces if they are not cleaned. Which means there has never been a better reason to clean your home from top to bottom than when you see pinworms wriggling around your child’s butt after the Scotch® Tape Test. See ‘How Do I Identify A Pinworm Infection?’ on our FAQ page.