What advice should I provide to parents regarding hygiene measures to prevent threadworm reinfection in children?

To prevent reinfection of threadworm in children, parents should be advised on rigorous hygiene measures, which should be followed for 2 weeks if the child has been treated with an anthelmintic like mebendazole, or for 6 weeks if hygiene measures are being used alone ¹.

• Hand Hygiene: Parents and children should wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after using the toilet, changing nappies, and before handling food ¹.
• Nail Care: Fingernails should be cut regularly, and children should be encouraged to avoid biting their nails and scratching around the anus ¹.
• Daily Washing: Children should shower each morning, ensuring the perianal area is included, to help remove any eggs from the skin ¹.
• Laundry: Bed linen and nightwear should be changed daily for several days after treatment ¹. It is important not to shake out items, as this can distribute eggs around the room ¹. Washing and drying items in a hot cycle will kill threadworm eggs ¹.
• Household Cleaning: The home should be thoroughly dusted and vacuumed, including mattresses ¹. The bathroom should be cleaned by 'damp-dusting' surfaces, and the cloth used should be washed frequently in hot water ¹.
• Reinforcement: If infection recurs, it is usually due to reinfection, not treatment failure, so reinforcing the importance of strict hygiene measures is crucial ¹.