School ends, the temperature rises, and before you know it your child and their best friends are getting excited about summer camp. Visions of tire swings, swimming, and bon fires dance through their head, but there’s something slithering through yours. A question. A worry. What if my child gets pinworm?
With summer approaching full swing, Reese’s Pinworm Medicine wanted to provide a handy Summer Camp Safety Checklist to make your child’s summer camp experience safe and pinworm free.
#1 – HELP YOUR CHILD PRACTICE REGULAR HAND WASHING
It may seem simple, but washing your child’s hands regularly is the most successful way to prevent a pinworm infection. While they’re out of the house and outside of your watchful eye, you’ll want to make sure your child understands the importance of keeping their hands clean after playing outside, with other children, after swimming, as well as before and after enjoying meal time.
Pinworm is spread by eggs left on the skin after contact. If the eggs are on your child’s hands and they reach into their mouth, the eggs can be ingested and the infection can begin. Keeping their hands clean and clear after contact with outside sources greatly reduces the chances of the infection making its way inside.
#2 – KEEP YOUR CHILD’S NAILS CUT SHORT
Pinworm eggs can be protected from a good hand washing by hiding underneath your child’s finger nails. Reducing the number of places for pinworm eggs to hide is the next step on the check list to prevent an infection. Before sending your child to summer camp, trim their nails to help them stay clean and reduce their chance of getting pinworm.
#3 – WASH BEDDING AND UNDERGARMENTS AS FREQUENTLY AS IS REASONABLE
Pinworms and their eggs can be left behind on surfaces like bedding and undergarments when an infection occurs. Since your child will be sharing space with other children while away at summer camp, the more frequently their bedding can be washed, the less likely it will be for them to contract a pinworm infection.
Since you won’t be there to make sure this happens, the next best step is to be sure your child has enough fresh undergarments available to change into between the periods of time that their clothes will be washed.
#4 – SHOWERING IS BETTER THAN A BATH
According to the CDC, when worried about pinworm infection, showering is better than a traditional bath for two reasons.
1 – Showering avoids potentially contaminating the bath water with pinworm eggs
2 – Showering in the morning helps to remove a large amount of the eggs on the skin
#5 – IF YOUR CHILD COMES HOME FROM CAMP WITH PINWORM ANYWAY
You’ve taken all the precautions. You’ve followed the checklist. But you still get the call that your child is experiencing discomfort and your fears have been realized: they have a pinworm infection.
Fear not! Despite pinworm being an uncomfortable and tedious ailment, Reese’s Pinworm Medicine makes treating it easy, safe, and effective. Learn more about what to do once you’ve found out your child has a pinworm infection on the FAQs page on our website.