If you or your child has a threadworm infection, it is not necessary to stay off school.
However, it's important to inform your child's school so that they can take steps to limit the spread of infection. The following information is NHS guidance.
Hygiene measures
Strict hygiene measures can help clear up a threadworm infection and reduce the likelihood of re-infection.
The life span of threadworms is approximately six weeks, so it's important that the hygiene methods are followed for at least this long. Everyone in the household must follow the advice outlined below.
Wash all night clothes, bed linen, towels and soft toys when you are first diagnosed. This can be done at normal temperatures but make sure that the washing is well rinsed.
Carefully clean the bathroom and kitchen by damp-dusting surfaces and washing the cloth frequently in hot water. This should be repeated regularly.
Avoid shaking any material that may be contaminated with eggs, such as clothing or bed sheets. This will help prevent eggs being transferred to other surfaces.
Don't eat food in the bedroom, because you may end up swallowing eggs that have been shaken off the bedclothes.
Keep your fingernails short. Encourage other members of your household to do the same.
Discourage nail-biting and sucking fingers. In particular, make sure that children don't suck their thumb.
Wash your hands frequently and scrub under your fingernails, particularly before eating, after going to the toilet and before and after changing your baby's nappy.
Wear close-fitting underwear at night and change your underwear every morning.
Bath or shower regularly, particularly first thing in the morning. Make sure that you clean around your anus and vagina to remove any eggs.
Ensure that everyone in your household has their own face flannel and towel. Don't share towels.
Keep toothbrushes in a closed cupboard and rinse them thoroughly before use.
Children can easily pick up another threadworm infection from friends or at school, so maintaining good hygiene may help prevent re-infection.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Threadworms/Pages/Introduction.aspx
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