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Child Has Black Worms In Urine. What Is Going On?
Question: my 5 year old daughter just brought me to the restroom after she urinated there were approx 10 little black worms in toilet. what is going on?
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
According to the facts you have provided it seems that your daughter is suffering from a parasitic infection most probably a threadworm infection.
Though urinary parasites like schistosomiasis is also a possibility it's less likely as per your description.
Please do not worry , though scary to notice these parasitic infections are common in childhood and are easily treatable with appropriate antihelminthic drugs prescribed by your doctor.
Threadworms are small, thin, thread-like worms between 2 mm and 13 mm long. They infect human guts (intestines).
Often, the worst thing about them is the itch and discomfort around the anus. This sometimes wakes children from sleep. Scratching may make the anus sore. Large numbers of threadworms may possibly cause mild abdominal (tummy) pains and make a child irritable. In girls, threadworms can wander forwards and lay their eggs in the vagina or urethra (the tube through which you pass urine) which seems to be the most likely possibility in your child's case.
Your doctor may ask you to do a sticky tape test to confirm the presence of threadworms. To do this you press some clear see-through tape on to the skin around the anus first thing in the morning, before wiping or bathing. You then place the tape on a glass slide or put it in a specimen container. The tape is then sent to the laboratory to be looked at under a microscope to see if any threadworm eggs are stuck to the tape.
The common treatment is:
To take a medicine like Mebendazole or Piperazine to kill the worms in your gut; AND
Hygiene measures to clear eggs which may be around her anus or in your home.
Like ,
Wash sleepwear, bed linen, towels, and cuddly toys. This can be done at normal temperatures so long as the washing is well rinsed.
Vacuum and damp-dust your home. Throw out the cloth after use.
Thoroughly clean the bathroom by damp-dusting surfaces, washing the cloth frequently in hot water. Throw out the cloth after use.
General measures of hygiene are to be followed by each household member especially for two weeks after starting treatment .
Usually the treatment has to be taken by the whole family even if one child is infected.This prevents the chances of spread and recurrence.
it may not be your home which is a main source of threadworm eggs. Your children may come into contact with eggs in schools or nurseries, particularly in the toilets if they are not cleaned properly. This is why your child may have threadworms, even if your home and personal hygiene is of a very high standard.
So please do not worry and do get her treated as soon as feasible.
Hope I have answered your query.
Kindly accept my answer if you have no further queries.
Regards.
Thanks for posting your query.
According to the facts you have provided it seems that your daughter is suffering from a parasitic infection most probably a threadworm infection.
Though urinary parasites like schistosomiasis is also a possibility it's less likely as per your description.
Please do not worry , though scary to notice these parasitic infections are common in childhood and are easily treatable with appropriate antihelminthic drugs prescribed by your doctor.
Threadworms are small, thin, thread-like worms between 2 mm and 13 mm long. They infect human guts (intestines).
Often, the worst thing about them is the itch and discomfort around the anus. This sometimes wakes children from sleep. Scratching may make the anus sore. Large numbers of threadworms may possibly cause mild abdominal (tummy) pains and make a child irritable. In girls, threadworms can wander forwards and lay their eggs in the vagina or urethra (the tube through which you pass urine) which seems to be the most likely possibility in your child's case.
Your doctor may ask you to do a sticky tape test to confirm the presence of threadworms. To do this you press some clear see-through tape on to the skin around the anus first thing in the morning, before wiping or bathing. You then place the tape on a glass slide or put it in a specimen container. The tape is then sent to the laboratory to be looked at under a microscope to see if any threadworm eggs are stuck to the tape.
The common treatment is:
To take a medicine like Mebendazole or Piperazine to kill the worms in your gut; AND
Hygiene measures to clear eggs which may be around her anus or in your home.
Like ,
Wash sleepwear, bed linen, towels, and cuddly toys. This can be done at normal temperatures so long as the washing is well rinsed.
Vacuum and damp-dust your home. Throw out the cloth after use.
Thoroughly clean the bathroom by damp-dusting surfaces, washing the cloth frequently in hot water. Throw out the cloth after use.
General measures of hygiene are to be followed by each household member especially for two weeks after starting treatment .
Usually the treatment has to be taken by the whole family even if one child is infected.This prevents the chances of spread and recurrence.
it may not be your home which is a main source of threadworm eggs. Your children may come into contact with eggs in schools or nurseries, particularly in the toilets if they are not cleaned properly. This is why your child may have threadworms, even if your home and personal hygiene is of a very high standard.
So please do not worry and do get her treated as soon as feasible.
Hope I have answered your query.
Kindly accept my answer if you have no further queries.
Regards.
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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