If you think that you or your child has threadworms, you could look for the worms and begin treatment yourself.
However, always see your GP if you think that you may have threadworms and:
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Your child has threadworms and they are under two years old.
Looking for threadworms
Threadworms are difficult to see because of their size and colour. The worms look like short threads of white cotton. Female worms are usually 8mm to 13mm long and male worms are shorter, at 2mm to 5mm long. The male worm is rarely seen because it stays inside the intestine.
The best time to try to find threadworms is at night when female worms come out to lay their eggs. If you are trying to see whether your child has threadworms, check about two to three hours after they have fallen asleep. The worms may be visible on your child’s night clothes or bed sheets.
Threadworms can sometimes also be found in stools (faeces). Threadworm eggs are not visible to the naked eye.
Visiting your GP
Your GP will usually be able diagnose threadworms based on the symptoms of itching around the anus and itching at night.
Your GP or a nurse may also take a sample from around your anus using a moistened swab to pick up eggs. The sample will then be sent to a laboratory for testing.
