I’m laughing right now, because the other option is crying and well………I just need to laugh instead.
This is SO ridiculous. Like you wouldn’t even believe it…..I mean, maybe you might, but seriously….I almost can’t even believe it and I’m living it.
Judah had diarrhea for most of the day yesterday and yesterday evening, I went to change yet another diaper and……..found a worm.
No, I don’t mean one of those squishy, squirmy earthworms….I mean a PARASITE!
And it was still moving. *let me throw up a little in my mouth here*
So I freaked, I panicked and then I pulled out my Google medical degree and got to work because it was after hours…..of course it was after hours….you think this would actually happen WHILE my doctor was in the office…..no, of course not.
I don’t even know where to go from here – storywise, I mean….
I read. I read a MILLION articles. Determined that these little wrigglers living in my son’s gut and diaper were pinworms or threadworms…..same thing. and that they are extremely common……like 4 out of 10 kids have ’em. YUCK!!!!!
Changed another few diapers (I already mentioned diarrhea, eh?) and found a few more worms…….DOUBLE YUCK!!!!
Judah’s been sleeping really poorly the last few nights and waking up crying and saying ouch and squirming around fussing at his butt and more than a few of the articles talked about “your normally angelica child becoming irritable and fussy for no apparent reason” while I wouldn’t give him angelic, he’s definitely been WAY fussier in the last few days than normal. Coupled with the lack of sleeping, appetite that’s been off, and lets not forget about the ACTUAL WORMS!!!!!! TRIPLE YUCK! It’s pretty safe to say that he (and by extension, there is a good chance that at least the majority of the rest of us) has worms.
While I would have much rather talked with my Naturopath and gotten some natural parasite killer….would ou belive that her offices are closed on Wednesday….ya when did we find the worms….ya that’s right…on TUESDAY EVENING…after her offices were closed too. Unreal. So rather than waiting for a few more days…..Jon went to Shopper’s Drug Mart and talked to the pharmacist. She showed us this medicine – Combantrin
One dose will kill the worms currently living inside of you. And then you need to take another dose in two weeks to kill any more worms that grew from the eggs that you still had or that you picked up from within the house…
Apparently the home protocol is very similar to the home lice protocol and in fact, apparently, these little guys are WAY easier to eradicate than lice are. Which I guess, if I’m looking for silver linings….I guess that I’m glad we have pinworms and not lice…..if I can even wrap my head around such a statement.
And so, the de-worming has already begun…..meds have been taken and I am currently on a rampage against the little wormies…..that just sounded wrong. Almost cute and in my mind, this is anything but a cute situation.
Please reassure me that you or someone you know has gone through this and that I’m not the only one. Supposedly this is not an indication of poor hygiene, just like lice are not a reflection on poor hygiene. I can read that and know in my head that it supposed to be true, but BOY OH BOY…..am I ever struggling. …
I didn’t need this right now. Not that anyone ever needs this….but seriously…..this is not exactly reducing the stress load in my life.
So, what say you…….say something…please (yes, I’m begging)
Oh I well remember when Karen (my daughter) informed me that my grandchildren had worms…and that Doug and I needed to take the medication as well, since we spent time with them! They are quite common and NOT a sign that you are a poor housekeeper. The treatment works really well and you will all be fine 🙂
Hmmm, makes me wonder about my girls.They have been having diarrhea like symptoms on and off for the past few weeks and Kiana complains of sore tummy when she’s going to the bathroom and has DEFINITELY been very irritable. hmmmm, oh dear this is disturbing. How do you know if your kid has it if you haven’t seen any?
You can look for them at night. Google pinworms and it will tell you what to do. Or go to your doctor and ask? Not fun, eh?
Oh Patti, you poor woman!!
Although parts of this post made me laugh….please let me reassure you that this is TOTALLY NORMAL…..although kinda gross if you think about it too much!! Working with small children for more than 10 years, I have heard all sorts of stories about these little lovely wrigglers.
They are most certainly not a reflection on your families hygiene or housekeeping and so very common amongst children. One dose of this stuff and another in a couple of weeks and you will all be right as rain!!
Try not to think about it too much and maybe keep a little box of the pills on hand in case it happens again in he future…..or even talk with your naturopath for suggestions…..and then arm yourself for possible future invasions…..not that it is likely!!
Keep your chin up, and my thoughts and prayers are constantly with your family.
Sarah xo
This is soooo funny 🙂 and gross, but I’m glad you’re able to laugh :). My mom was just suggesting to us to deworm, just in case,as the boys are on the farm at our church all the time and are around horses. She told me about auntie Elaine having worms when she was young and grandpa would annually give all the family this horrible tasting deworming medicine after that because he was so grossed out. I was wondering what to even look for and now I know! Thank you 🙂
Big hugs sent your way!
Niki
yup been there had them…all of us…treated them….easy to get rid of…the kids pick it up easily and they spread at night ok I just threw up in my mouth a bit…SOOO gross… I remember that we had it as kids…and what my mom did to get rid of them…NOT saying here…but gross… I figured everyone deals with them at one time or other! as germ-free as we try to be we are still surrounded by nature and things that make us throw up in our mouths!! the other thing that you were relieved to not have…. well one of my girls seems to pick that up everytime she visits her every other weekend home..so not impressed!
love you!
As far as natural remedies go, black walnut & activated charcoal will get rid of them…we had it in our house too & we do natural remedies around here. Also they (the worms) do not like peppermint oil…soooo….die worms die…I put it on Taylor’s underwear & around her anus…gross, I know, but it worked….good luck…been there, done that…
Dear Patti I know How you must have felt when you first found out. I had six children when I discovered mine had them. Joanne was living with us at the time and no way was she going to take the medicine. I got it down her and then she thru up all over the place and your Mom said “and you made me clean it up. I had not quite remembered that part of it. I don’t think the diarea is caused by the worms. I feel for you .I don’t remember having to do all the disinfecting you are needing to do but that is probably because you have had to do quite a bit of that in the past. I wish my knees and legs were quite a bit better ,I would like so much to be able to help you. I was just reading some of the things that I have been suppose to be doing such as more icing,more resting if I want the swelling to go down quicker. I have finished my physio at the hospital but am suooose to be carrying on with the exersizes at home .My trouble is I see so many things that need to be done after two months of recuperation that I forget the time until my knee starts hurting. I thank the Lord it is overwith sooner than I expected. It has been good to hear from you again but I am sorry it is another THING. Praying for you lots and Love you a “BUNCH ” Grandma
Its gross for sure, but growing up in the country not uncommon, and very easy to get rid of, the medication really does it in one dose. Here in Uganda we are told we all should do a deworming every 6 months… not very good at doing that however but trust me as a kid in the country not something rare. I could give you some horrible African stories, but let me tell you, you and your readers want to keep your lunch hee hee…
Love ya girl..
Wow! That takes me back a loong way! I remember my mother’s panic when my little sister got them sixty-odd years ago. No Google then, so she had to wait for the Doc. Would you believe they made house calls back then? Seems the little critters lay their eggs in fresh veggies in the fields among other places. No matter how carefully you wash the lettuce, etc., a few may sneak by. Yucky they may be, but with a bit of meds they do leave fairly quickly. Kids and bugs — it all comes with the territory.
After everything else that’s been going on its just good for a laugh — natures’ pratfall.
Be blessed!
Oh my goodness! That is horrible!!
thank you for all the information. good to know and be aware.
THANK YOU!!! I was freaking out because I found these NASTY little wormies in my home!! 🙁 You didn’t say how to clean your home tho, so I am going on a BLEACH spree!!!
They’re quite common little critters, as unpleasant as they are. Parasites are virtually everywhere. I remember we got them as kids and it was freakin gross. Night time, the itching was horrible. Poor us. And my mom was a super clean neat freak so this has no bearing on housekeeping or hygiene. The liquid medicine back then made you want to puke, it was that gross… but it worked, which was 100x better than the alternative. I remember all these years later my mom & doc telling us to keep our finders out of and away from our mouth!! That’s one of the main ways to contaminate and infect.