Contracting worms doesn’t mean that you’re a bad parent, it’s just part of life.

I know we don’t like to talk about it. For some reason it’s way trickier than discussing politics at the dinner table. People think it’s gross, but it’s extremely common. Lots of kids under the age of 10 get it. I even got it in my late 20s. Yes, I’m talking about worms.

There seems to be a stigma around worms, but you’d be surprised how easy they are to contract. How do I know about worms, you ask? I’ve got two kids that go to daycare and…I’ve had worms…as a parent. I have no idea how I got them or how long I had them, but it was easy to detect and treat. But it’s safe to say that I’m somewhat of an authority on this needlessly taboo subject.

Contracting worms doesn’t mean that you’re a bad parent, it’s just part of life. You don’t need to keep your kid in a bubble, because worms are very contagious and can be picked up from two kids walking around hand-in-hand in the playground. So, if your kid gets worms, don’t freak out. It’s very common. Almost as common as catching a cold or binge watching Game of Thrones.

Let’s do some myth busting about worms:

Myth: Only dirty people get worms.

Some folk believe that kids can only contract worms if they’re “dirty” or “unclean” - playing sport, playing in the sandpit, playing in the mud and the rain - basically everything a kid should do. But this isn't the case, because any kid can pick up worms. Threadworms are contagious and can be spread through direct or indirect contact. So it could be contracted anywhere from a kids' football match to a play date at home.

Myth: It's rare to get worms.

WRONG. Let’s bust another myth: Because worms are contagious and common, they’re likely to be in areas where there are loads of of kids – schools, playgrounds and daycare centres. Basically, they can be everywhere your kid is likely to be every day. Being in contact with furniture or a door knob that a kid with worms has touched can transfer worms. I know you might be frantically disinfecting your entire house at the moment with anti-bacterial wipes, but to some extent you can’t prevent your kid coming into contact with someone who has worms.

Myth: It's easy to tell when your kid has worms.

The warning signs aren't always clear and simple. Some worm infections don't have any symptoms, which makes it harder to know what's wrong. But for most worm infections, here's what to notice: Your child might be a little more irritable than usual. They might have suddenly gone off their food. They might have a little more trouble sleeping than usual. Another indicator is if they have an itchy bottom. Okay…and this is a little gross….the best indicator is if you see worms in their poo. It's probably a sure thing they have some little easy-to-kill worms, unless you’ve been feeding your kids moving noodles.

Myth: You can't prepare for worms.

But you can totally be in control from an early stage. Simply make sure to have some Combantrin in the cupboard at home. They come in chocolate squares that will kill those pesky worms in no time. If I know why my kids are giving their bums a good scratch, I simply reach for a box of Combantrin and you know what? They LOVE it. My daughter gets excited for “yummy chocolate squares” when I go to the pantry. They actually LIKE medicine. How good is that?

And yeah, the chocolate squares are still delicious when you’re an adult. Generally, you look at the back of the pack and follow the graph to work out how many squares your kid needs. For my toddler, two yummy squares does the trick. When I had worms, I got to eat seven. Treatment is meant to be repeated two weeks later to make sure all the eggs are killed off, just in case.

Worms are common in kids and rarer in adults…but you can still get them. It's best to be prepared so you're not in a pickle when it hits – Combantrin solves this very simple, slightly itchy problem. Nothing like a bit of foresight, right?

Whats your tip to keep your house free of worms? Have you had them? Go on, tell us below!

This content was created with thanks to our brand partner Combantrin®.