Pinworm Infection

You’ll know you have a pinworm infection if you find signs of either the pinworm or the eggs. You can see adult pinworms with just your eyes, but your healthcare provider uses a microscope to see the eggs.

Checking for the worm

Check for pinworms about two to three hours after you fall asleep. Around this time, pinworms make their way out of your rectum to lay eggs around your anus. Pinworms look small, thin and grayish-white, like little pieces of thread. This is why they’re sometimes called threadworms.

You may also find them wriggling in underwear or bedsheets. If your child has many pinworms, they may appear in their stool (poop) or on toilet paper, but this is rare. It’s much easier to identify them on your child’s skin.

You can capture the worms using clear Scotch tape or just let your provider know you saw them.

Checking for the pinworm eggs

You can also use tape to collect the eggs. This is called the “tape test.” Here’s what you do:

1. Place a piece of clear tape (sticky side down) over your child’s anal area as soon as they wake up in the morning. The eggs will stick to the tape.
2. Take the tape to your child’s pediatrician, following their directions about how to safely share the sample. They’ll use a microscope to check for the eggs.

It’s best to do the tape test as soon as your child wakes, before bathing or using the bathroom. Both activities can remove the eggs from skin. You should do the tape test a few times (ideally, for three consecutive days) to get the most accurate results.

Your child’s pediatrician may also collect egg samples from underneath their fingernails.