Pinworm?

[Len Lanetti]

Boy 9 years old presents with having seen a "worm" in his bowl movement. Parents can't find said worm but this is not something the kid would make up. Parasite is described (based on child's drawing) as about 2 inches long, an 1/8 of an inch thick, white with dark bands or ridges.

Call doctor's office in the morning where the doctor says it sounds like pinworm and prescribes Vermox over the phone.

I was thinking based on the size described by the child that it might be hookworm which according to the internet would require a different medication.

Is pinworm more likely than hookworm? The child has not played in a stream for over a year but does run around the backyard and community pool area without shoes.

Where would pinworm come from...we are careful about food prep and cooking. Is it possible it could come from drinking a few slugs of pool water (child is on community pool swim team - btw he took 3rd place in an event this last weekend and his brother took 2nd, note 10 yo brother was swiming against 12 year olds!).

Thanks,

Len

 

[wsuffa]

Not a doc.

Someone in my family had pinworm when much younger. Doc at the time thought it might have come from family pet, a cat. Or playing with neighbors pets. IIRC, the pinworm was described as small, white critter.

Again, not a doc.

 

[Unregistered]

Sounds too big to be a pinworm.

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/parasitic/pinworm.html

 

[Unregistered]

tapeworm having babies

 

[Len Lanetti]

My wife and I were thinking more and more that it might not be pinworm but I had a discussion with the pediatric doctor today...basically if it were another type of parasite the symptoms would be more severe additionally the other parasites are not so common so for now we go with Vermox treatment for the entire family.

Len

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

You cannot get pinworms from your pet, although every MD in America is taught this somewhere!
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/pinworm/factsht_pinworm.htm

Hookworms, yes (but not directly) and it is usually a skin disorder.
http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/hookworm.htm
Roundworms, yes (but usually not directly) and it can sadly be a serious neurological disorder or cause vision loss.
http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/toxocariasis.htm

Pop quiz for MD's:
Does the pregnant patient HAVE to get rid of the family cat? (we are talking toxo here)