I am wondering if my daughter has intestinal worms, she says it stings. Is there an over-the-counter test I can do?

Question

She sleeps very poorly, moves a lot and cries. I can't see anything about her stool when I change her diaper

David Tan · Accepted Answer

Hello, There are two ways to determine if your daughter has intestinal worms: The flashlight test: This involves visually inspecting your child's anus 1 to 3 hours after she is asleep. You can usually see the female pinworms laying their eggs in the rectum The tape test: This involves applying clear tape (i.e., 2-sided tape on a popsicle stick) in several places around the anus in the morning before waking up to go to the bathroom and before bathing or showering. The test usually needs to be repeated a few times (1 test detecting 50% of infections, 3 tests detecting 90% and 5 tests detecting 99%). If you find worms, discuss it further with a doctor to confirm the diagnosis or with a pharmacist so that they can suggest treatments that you can start over the counter. I hope this answers your question. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me again. Sincerely, David Tan, pharmacist