Treatment

There are several types of worms that can cause problems in children, including threadworm, roundworm, tapeworm, whipworm and hookworm. Fortunately, roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, tapeworm are considered rare in Australia and New Zealand - they are most common in regions with a high population density and poor hygiene and sanitation facilities. As threadworm is the most common worm infection in Australia and New Zealand, this information focusses on treatment of threadworm infections.

Keep in mind however that although considered very rare indeed, hookworm and roundworm infections can occur in Australia and New Zealand. If a roundworm or hookworm infection is suspected, you should seek medical advice.

If you suspect your child has threadworms, it's important to act fast with the appropriate treatment. Early detection is key here - if left untreated, worm infections can lead to unpleasant symptoms like sleeplessness, lack of appetite and an itchy bottom. Without proper treatment, there's also the high risk of reinfection, such is the level of contagiousness of threadworm infections. The good news is that treatment is quick and easy!

Here you'll find information on what treatment you can use for a worm infection, as well as advice on how to deworm your family and prevent re-infestation.

An Effective Threadworm Treatment

COMBANTRIN^® is a highly effective treatment to rid the body of threadworm infections – just one dosage of COMBANTRIN^® or COMBANTRIN^®-1 kills adult worms within the body, either through paralysis with COMBANTRIN^® or by preventing them from absorbing the glucose they need to survive – with COMBANTRIN^®-1. Once the worm is paralyzed or dead, it will be passed through the body in a bowel movement.

Re-Treatment

COMBANTRIN^® is only effective against adult worms, which means any eggs or immature worms inside the body might still linger after the initial treatment. In order to minimise the risk of reinfestation, a follow-up treatment two to four weeks later is strongly recommended if symptoms are still present. Any eggs that have hatched into worms during this time will be killed and passed through the body in the same way as the first treatment.

To discover more about how COMBANTRIN^® effectively kills worms, visit the How COMBANTRIN^® Works page.