It’s estimated that about 40 million people in North America have pinworms —and because they spread easily and are commonly found in young children, your kiddo might get them one day. Jamie Kondis, MD, a Washington University pediatrician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, talks about four important pieces of information regarding pinworms:

• Pinworms do not pose serious health risks. The main issue they cause is itching in the anal area.
• If you think your child has pinworms, contact your pediatrician for help. They may want to check for other causes of itching, to rule them out.
• There are two ways to check for pinworms. First, try looking for small gray worms around your child’s anal area while they sleep at night. The other method is the “Scotch tape” test. Place a piece of tape around the anal area to trap the pinworms on the tape. This is the best way to confirm their presence.
• Pinworms are easily treated with an oral medication. Your doctor will likely recommend that all family members take the medication because you can have pinworms without symptoms. Wash all linens and clothing in hot water; this helps eliminate pinworm eggs.

Remember, if you think your child has pinworms, contact their pediatrician. Need help finding a pediatrician? We are here to help! Learn more about what factors to consider when choosing a pediatrician at https://www.stlouischildrens.org/cond....

Visit our website for more MomDocs tips: https://www.stlouischildrens.org/heal...
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/2vHvSCw
Like us on Facebook:   / stlchildrens  
Follow us on Twitter:   / stlchildrens  
Learn More About Donating on YouTube: https://support.google.com/youtube/?p...

The St. Louis Children’s Hospital YouTube station is intended as a reference and information source only. If you suspect you have a health problem, you should seek immediate care with the appropriate health care professionals. The information on this website is not a substitute for professional care, and must not be used for self-diagnosis or treatment. For help finding a doctor, St. Louis Children's Hospital Answer Line may be of assistance at 314.454.KIDS (5437). The opinions expressed in these videos are those of the individual writers, not necessarily St. Louis Children's Hospital or Washington University School of Medicine. BJC HealthCare and Washington University School of Medicine assume no liability for the information contained in this website or for its use.