Pinworms in children...anyone have experience?

So last night DD6 was complaining that her butt hurt.  So I checked to see if there was any irritation or anything, I wasn't prepared for what I saw.  One tiny little pinworm around her anus.  I brought in DH who looked and sure enough it was moving so I KNOW it's worms and based on the description i've read of pinworms it sounds JUST like it.  I also checked DS5 and he has them too.  I checked DD13 but didn't see anything, thought I have read that pinworms uti's and vaginitis can be associated with pinworms.  Most of you have probably read my posts about me thinking she had a uti and the docs insistiting it's vaginitis.  

I tried to check DS1 but he's to wiggly to get a good look.  I plan to take them to the afterhours clinic today and see about getting medication.  I have read that there are certain herbal things that have good antiparasitic qualities...cloves and garlic for one....

Does anyone have any experience and can share some of the steps you took to get rid of them and if it was effective?

[mum2beagain]

It is very common. I remember having them as a child.
I don't know whether you still can but you used to just be able to pick something up at the pharmacy without prescription. It is usually recommended the whole family is treated. You might want to mention it at your kids schools too. As with lice they like to give parents the heads up about things like this so they can keep an eye out.

[peekawho]

Most peds will call in an Rx if you have a reliable description.  I may be wrong, but I believe that everyone in the family needs to be treated, regardless.  

You can call a pharmacy to see if they have anything effective over the counter, but unless I'm mistaken, its a prescription medication that works the best.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Well I went and took dd to the doc.  I just told them that after seeing it i compared it to pics of pinworms on the internet so I guess they took my word and wrote everyone scripts.  So now the house disinfecting begins.

[RockRose]

For the record,  you can buy the medication over the counter at a drug store.  I got so frustrated with being asked to awaken my children in the middle of the night to put scotch tape over their rectums to try to diagnose pin worms.

If they are scratching their butts and noses,  treat 'em.

[RockRose]

I didn't really finish.  

You don't have to do a lot of "disinfecting" of the house.

Unbelievably,  pinworms are spread by people scratching their rectums,  retrieving the eggs there,  and putting their fingers in their mouths.  (It seems from this description that the worms would die out first generation!!  Not so,  actually).  

So.  Treat all the kids,  and the adults too,  and wash all the sheets in hot water,  and clip everyone's finger nails down so they can't pick up eggs underneath the nail.   You probably don't have to do this with the adults and your teenager,  just small children.

In adults,  this transmission is more difficult because normally functioning adults don't do this - but they do wipe,  and wash their hands ineffectively,  and then eat.  If you're changing diapers it's also easy to get infected.

Best wishes.  In my experience,  pinworms are very easy to cure,   but they may pick them up later sometime - just watch out for children scratching their butts.