A 7 year old child has intestinal worms, what types of medications should he be given? it is causing severe itching. medication or anything that will relieve the itching would be very highly helpful. help needed asap please.

There : There are many different kinds of worms that can infect humans. Since you mentioned itching, i assume that you are talking about pinworms? If you are not sure what kind of worms your child has, you should call his doctor. Pinworm infections are extremely common - most often seen in kids between ages 5 and 10. It is spread by person to person contact. Animals do not harbor pinworms. The most common symptom is an itchy anal area, especially at night when the worms are most active. It is usually not dangerous - just annoying - and is easily treated with medications. Albendazole and Mebendazole are the two medications used most often to kill the worms. Pyrantyl pamoate (pin-x) is less effective and has higher rate of side effects, so is not used as often. Everyone in the household should be treated at the same time to avoid re-infection. A few tips to prevent re-infection after treatment are: -wash hands carefully after using the bathroom and before eating -wash all bedding, clothing and toys to destroy lingering eggs -wash underwear and pajamas daily for 2 weeks -wash sheets every 3-7 days for 3 weeks reinfection a few months after treatment is common, so if your symptoms reappear, call your doctor. Pinworms do not cause abdominal pain, bloody stools, fevers, or poor appetite, so if you have any of these symptoms, you need to contact your doctor.

Identify cause: The specific type of parasite as determined by testing will guide the therapy.