Taiwan mum’s shock discovery of worms on child sparks warning to parents

TAIWAN: A young mother in Taiwan recently shared a frightening experience online after her daughter suddenly began crying before bedtime, saying that her bottom was extremely itchy. Believing it to be minor irritation, the mother applied ointment, but the discomfort did not improve.

When she checked again, the mother noticed a thin white object emerging from the child’s anus. A few hours later, she discovered three to four small white worms wriggling around the area.

Using a cotton swab, she removed them and confirmed they were pinworms, a very common intestinal parasite among young children.

Although she is a nurse, she admitted it was her first time seeing pinworms firsthand and finally understood why schools used to require students to perform tape tests on the buttocks.

Parents Urged to Watch Hygiene

She warned other parents to be vigilant about their children’s daily hygiene. She explained that letting children bite their nails, suck their fingers, or even put their toes in their mouths can greatly increase the risk of infection, and once one person is infected, the rest of the family typically requires treatment as well.

Social Media Reactions

Her post on Threads quickly drew widespread attention. Many netizens recalled experiencing pinworm infections during childhood, while others were shocked that pinworms still appear frequently in modern, urban households.

What Are Pinworms?

Pinworms, also known as threadworms, are tiny white parasites that commonly infect children aged three to seven. They spread through contact with contaminated hands, surfaces, toys, food, or dust, and can also spread when children scratch the anal area and inadvertently ingest the eggs.

Most infected individuals show few symptoms, but the most common complaint is nighttime anal itching, caused by female worms laying eggs around the anus while the person sleeps.

Health Authorities Explain Prevention

Taiwan’s Ministry of Health stresses that proper hygiene is the key to preventing pinworm infections.

They advise parents to ensure children wash their hands thoroughly before eating and after using the toilet, keep their fingernails short, avoid playing directly on dirty floors, and avoid habits such as nail-biting or scratching the anus.

They add that parents can use the tape-test method to check for pinworm eggs if a child frequently complains of anal itching.

Treatment Requires Two Rounds

Health authorities state that proper treatment typically requires two doses of medication, spaced two weeks apart. This is because the first dose kills adult worms, but surviving eggs may hatch up to two weeks later, requiring a second dose to eliminate them completely.

Since pinworms spread easily among household members, doctors often recommend that everyone in the home undergo treatment.

Parents should also wash bedding, pajamas, and underwear frequently, maintain strict hand hygiene, and allow sunlight into the home, as pinworm eggs are sensitive to UV light.