Is your baby suffering from the rectal itch? Does your baby have sleepless nights? These signs indicate that your baby may have pinworms.
Pinworm looks like a white small thread like structure. Pinworm infections are most likely to occur in the child group ranging from 5-10 years. Infants who have started crawling are also at the risk of pinworm infection.
This article discusses what are pinworms in babies and where do they come from? It presents the causes and symptoms of pinworms in babies. At the end of the article, you will find the home remedies for pinworms in babies.
What Are Pinworms in Babies?
Pinworm is an intestinal infection caused by the tiny parasitic worms. Pinworms are mostly 4-12mm long white worms as thick as thread. They are also called as threadworms. The scientific name for the pinworms is Enterobius vermicularis and the infection caused by it is regarded as enterobiasis.
Pinworm is the most common infection in the United States according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Children with pinworms do not mean that they are dirty. Pinworms may affect the babies irrespective of how often they bath.
Where do Pinworms Come From?
Pinworm infections are contagious. Pinworms may enter the body when the babies breathe in the microscopic pinworm eggs located on the contaminated surfaces like:
1. Hands
2. Towels
3. Clothes
4. Toilets
5. Bathroom fixtures
6. Food
7. Drinking glasses and utensils
8. Toys
Pinworm eggs travel through the digestive system and hatch in the intestine, where they develop as pinworm larvae. Pinworm larvae go to the large intestine and live as a parasite with their heads attached to the bowel. After 1-2 months, the adult pinworms pass out from the large intestine through anus. Pinworms will lay eggs on the skin around anus which leads to skin itching.
Infants rarely get pinworms as they. Babies who can not crawl, drink water or eat solid food are less likely to breathe in the pinworms. Once the baby starts crawling and putting things in the mouth, they are at the risk of pinworms.
What Causes Pinworms in Babies?
Your baby is mostly liked affected by the pinworms if any adult in the house has got pinworms.
Pinworms from the affected person to the baby may spread in the following ways:
1. Itching, around the anal region, can easily carry the pinworm eggs through fingernails.
2. When the infected person touches objects like bedding, clothing, glasses, the insects will transfer to theses objects and can live up to 3 weeks.
3. Being in direct contact with any contaminated object makes the baby susceptible to pinworms.
4. Breathing in the eggs that landed on the bed or sheets, this happens when the infected item is shaken.
Symptoms of Pinworms
Babies with pinworms may come across the following symptoms:
1) Anal itching, especially at the night
2) Restless sleep
3) Abdominal pain
4) Rash or other skin irritation around the anus
5) The presence of pinworms in stools
6) Presence of pinworms in the surrounding area of the anus.
7) Sometimes, excessive pinworm infection may lead to nausea or vomiting.
8) Sometimes pinworms may block the appendix leading to appendicitis.
How to Diagnose Pinworm Infection?
In order to check for pinworms in your babies, examine the area around anus with torchlight a few hours after your baby goes to bed. Do this for the successive two days in the night and in the morning. Sometimes you can see pinworms in child stool.
Pinworms can be diagnosed by using clean cellophane tape. Place the tape near the anus with the sticky side down, so that the pinworm eggs stick to it. Do this as soon as you have awakened. Make sure to do it before having bowel movement/bathing as washing may remove the eggs. Place the tape under the microscope, facing the side that has contact with the skin. Do this test for the successive two days till you find the pinworm eggs. Visit the doctor’s severe pinworm in babies.
Home Remedies For Pinworms In Babies:
Did you notice pinworms in your baby? What to do? Here are the few natural remedies for pinworm infection for babies.
1. Garlic:
It is an effective way for pinworm treatment in babies. Garlic contains compounds with potent medical properties, combats sickness, can reduce blood pressure, and improves cholesterol levels which may reduce the risk of heart disease.
How To Use:
Cut up the garlic pieces and mix it with the petroleum jelly.
Apply it over your baby’s affected area at the night to prevent itching and eliminate further lying of the eggs nears the anus.
2. Carrots:
Carrots are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibers.
How To Use:
Prepare carrot puree for your baby. It is known to regulate the bowel movements because of the fiber content in it. They may help push the pinworms out of the intestine.
3. Pineapple:
Pineapple is loaded with nutrients, it contains enzymes that can ease digestion and healthy antioxidants that can fight against diseases.
How To Use:
Extract juice out of the cut pineapples and give to the baby at least once daily.
The enzyme, bromelain, exhibits antimicrobial activities and helps get rid of pinworms.
Note: Check for any food allergies before giving it to your baby.
4. Coconut Oil:
It aids in digestion and heals the wounds and burns.
How To Use:
Apply a little amount of coconut oil near your baby’s affected area. It’s antibacterial and antiviral properties helps in preventing pinworm infection.
5. Hot Water:
Hot water helps to kill the pinworm eggs present on the things
How To Use:
1. Wash your hands properly with soap and warm water after touching the things that have the possibility of being infected.
2. Soak the clothes and fibers that might be effected in the hot water for 30 minutes before washing.
3. Clean the washroom walls and floor with hot water.
6. Pumpkin Seeds:
They are high in fiber, antioxidants, and improves heart health.
How To Use:
Blend the pumpkin seeds with water so that it becomes creamy.
Enzymes in the pumpkin seeds can paralyze pinworms thereby making it easier to expel them out of the body.
7. Yogurt:
It is effective in treating irritable bowel disease and aiding digestion.
Feed you are about half cup of plain yogurt
Yogurt is rich in probiotics and it helps in restoring the healthy bacteria in the digestive system. This bacteria is capable of destroying and eliminating the harmful bacteria off the body.
8. Lemon:
Lemons are rich in vitamin c, soluble fibers, and plant compounds.
How To Use:
Squeeze half piece of lemon into one glass of water and honey for flavor. Give it to your baby.
The acidic nature of the lemons lowers the PH levels of the body making the survival of pinworms difficult.
9 Grapefruit Seed Extract:
It is high in powerful antioxidants, promotes appetite control, benefits your immune system.
Give your baby the grapefruit seed extract supplements readily available in the market.
Polyphenols in the grapefruit exhibit strong microbial activity against pinworms.
10. Apple Cider Vinegar:
It can kill many types of harmful bacteria and high in acetic acid with many potential biological effects.
Tips To Prevent Pinworm Infection In Child:
Here are the few tips to prevent pinworms in babies:
1. Keep your kid’s nails short and clean.
2. Bathing in the morning can help to wash off the pinworm eggs laid in the night.
3. Make sure that sufficient sunlight enters into your kid’s room so that it can kill pinworms.
4. Stop your kid from biting nails or sucking fingers
5. Toilet seats should be cleaned daily to prevent worsening the pinworm infection.
6. Ensure that your child is infection-free before interacting with other children.
7. Ensure to wash all the blankets, baby clothes with the warm water.
8. To reduce the risk of spreading wash your hands properly with soap after the bowel movements, after changing the diaper or before feeding your baby.
9. Empty the trash bin regularly.
10. Tidy up your living room by dusting the walls and ceiling regularly.
11. Wet the floor regularly with the hygiene floor cleaners.
12. Vacuum the carpets regularly to keep them away from pinworms
13. In order to keep your brush safe from the landing of airborne eggs, keep them in a closed cabinet.
Pinworm infections are highly contagious. It can be spread easily from the effected household to the remaining members if the hygiene measures and precautions are not followed. A few home remedies are presented in this article to treat pinworms.
