Invasion of The Worms!

Worms are everywhere. Some kinds of worms live in the ground, and are eaten by birds. Some kinds of worms live in the sea and are eaten by fish. There are even kinds of worms that can live inside your tummy! Yuk!

Having worms in your tummy is not very nice. They can feel wriggly and itchy, and can make you ill if you have them for a long time. You can get rid of them by going to the Doctor for some medicine, but the best thing to do, is avoid catching them in the first place.

The most common kind of worm that people can get living inside them is called the "Threadworm". They are small little white coloured worms that are about as long as your fingernail. They can sometimes be called "Pinworm", but their real name is "Enterobius Vermicularis". That's a long name for such a small thing!


The worms live inside you, but come out of your bum at night to lay eggs. This can make your bum feel itchy. When you scratch your bum, you can get the eggs underneath your fingernails. If you put your fingers in your mouth, or eat without washing your hands first, you can get the eggs in your mouth and swallow them. When you swallow the eggs they grow into worms and live in your tummy.

You can catch threadworms from other people that have threadworms. If they have scratched their bum and touched something, you can catch the worms eggs from the thing they touched. Children are more likely to catch threadworms since they play together all the time, and are maybe not so careful as mummies and daddies. A person with threadworms is not a dirty person. The worms do not care if a person is smelly or clean, since they live inside a person not outside! Nearly half of all children will catch threadworm at some time before they reach the age of 12.

The best ways to avoid getting worms living in your tummy are:

• Make sure you wash your hands before you eat, and after you have been to the toilet.
• Have a bath or shower regularly.
• Avoid biting your fingernails and sucking your thumb.
• Wear clean underwear everyday, and change bedclothes regularly.
• Don't play with poo!

Washing your hands is very important for staying healthy, and keeping your family and friends healthy. It doesn't take long to do. Always remember to wash your hands before you eat, and after you have been to the toilet.