Don't Squirm at Nits and Nasty Kids' Ailments

Learn to Treat Lice, Threadworms, Toilet Trouble, Scabies and Warts

Oct 20, 2009

Kids are prone to picking up lots of nasties like head lice, threadworms, skin parasites, tummy bugs and warts. Don't be embarrassed, know how to tackle them head on

Don’t shy away when children suffer from embarrassing conditions, it’s all a normal part of growing up.

"It’s common for parents to feel there is something disgraceful about their child having worms,” says Dr Gerald Coles, a senior researcher in parasitology at Bristol University.

“But there is really no need to worry or feel embarrassed. Children pick things up very easily because they are in such close contact with one another.

“It doesn’t mean you aren’t hygienic enough or haven’t looked after you children properly. The crucial thing is to know what to look for so you can get rid of the problem as quickly as possible.” Here's how.

Horrid Head Lice

Lice crawl from head to head, so are rife in school children. Girls with long hair and those aged four to eleven are most susceptible, but more than a third of all kids get head lice at some time. They’re difficult to see and hatch after about a week, leaving the empty casing, or nit, attached to the hair. Lice are tiny grayish coloured parasites that suck blood from the scalp. The only symptom is an itchy scalp – and they prefer clean heads to greasy ones.

Try nit combs, special shampoos and repellants. Concerns about side-effects have turned lots of parents away from pesticide-based products. For a more natural alternative try Lice Attack, a coconut oil emulsion or Nice ‘n Clear, made of neem oil, both available from Boots.

Troublesome Threadworms

These affect four out of ten children before the age of ten. They only live in humans so can’t be caught from pets. Even the cleanest households can catch them because the microscopic eggs are easily carried on clothes, bed linen, skin, under fingernails and in food. The worms appear in faeces as small white threads that look like pieces of cotton. An itchy bottom is usually a sign. Check when children are asleep as they are active at night.

Try tablets or powders available over the counter like Pripsen and Ovex. It’s best to treat the whole family, don’t share towels, cut fingernails short, encourage regular hand-washing and discourage bottom scratching.

Tricky Toilet Trouble

Constipation, diarrhoea, wind and bedwetting are all extremely common in children. A child who strains and only passes small hard pellets like rabbit droppings is probably constipated. Diarrhoea can be caused by an infection, food poisoning, anxiety or may be a reaction to medicine. Excessive wind may be caused by fizzy drinks, swallowing air, eating windy foods like beans and onions, or a digestive disorder. Bed wetting is very common up to the age of five, after that it may be caused by stress or simply late development.

For diarrhoea it's important to drink plenty of liquid. Water, clear soups, and sugary drinks are ideal to replace lost water, salt, and sugar.

Passing wind is normal. Most people do it at least twelve times a day, but young children need to be taught social etiquette. Peppermint or ginger supplements can help excessive wind.

Never make a child feel ashamed of wetting the bed, they usually grow out of it. If you’re concerned contact the Enuresis Resource and Information Centre (ERIC). Enuresis Resource and Information Centre (ERIC)

Scratchy Scabies

This is a highly contagious skin disease commonly found in children. It is caused by a tiny, eight-legged mite which lays its eggs in small burrows under the skin. This makes the skin extremely itchy, especially at night. Scabies tend to appear between fingers and toes, under the arms and in the genital area. The rash can become infected, causing redness and inflammation. It's not caused by poor hygiene. Mites are easily passed from person to person or through clothing, bedding and upholstery.

See a doctor. Treatment is usually anti-parasitic lotion that's applied to the whole body below the neck, and to the head in children under two. The lotion must be kept on for 24 hours and the whole family should be treated. Clothes, bed linen and towels should be washed.

Worrying Warts

These are skin lesions caused by a virus, and a wart on the sole of the foot is called a verruca and may become hard and painful. Children and teenagers are more likely to get a verruca than adults as they’re usually caught from public changing rooms and swimming pools. Catching a wart or verucca is down to bad luck, not poor hygiene.

Using a wart paint or gel containing salicylic acid, such as Bazuka gel available form chemists, usually works. If it doesn’t see your GP. Children can still go swimming but will need a verruca sock.

Above all - don't shy away from treating kids' nasties. They won't go away on their own and will just get worse and potentially spread around family and friends. Treating headline, threadworms, toilet issuses, scabies and warts is all in a day's work for a family doctor or a local pharmacist, so never be too embarrassed to ask for help. All of those conditions are simple to treat when you know how.

Telephone interview with Dr Gerald Coles, a senior researcher in parasitology at Bristol University, June 12th 2009

The copyright of the article Don't Squirm at Nits and Nasty Kids' Ailments in Parenting Methods is owned by Rachel Murphy. Permission to republish Don't Squirm at Nits and Nasty Kids' Ailments in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.