We thought it was a fistula but it's....a tropical parasite!

Hope no one's eating brekky!! Please discontinue reading if so

my DS has a tropical parasite - a little worm near his anus. I am so relieved it is not a fistula as we originally thought, as this would possibly have had to be operated on! We're happy that his body will fight it off (best case scenario), worst case scenario have it frozen off like a wart but atleast he doesn't have to be put under GA (touch wood)

the paediatrician has never seen this in an Aussie patient, only a few overseas (tropical) cases. So I suspect it was a result of our visit to Thailand.


just wanted to check whether anyone else's toddler/Billy lid has experienced this and what the outcome was?

Thanks
Tanya

I haven't had any experience with it at all, but I really hope your little fella is rid of it soon, it doesn't sound pleasant for him at all.

thanks Trillian - me too! I think he has been suffering - as it is slightly itchy and I noticed some behavioural change (negative) about a month ago but maybe that could have been his second year molars....

Just to clarify, it's not ring-worm, or worms.... but it's a funny looking pimple that has been moving eastwards in an up-down fashion, about 3 cm over the past two months. It's a fast-moving bugga' and I'm surprised that it has survived this long (if it is what the paediatrician says it is).

How weird! Hope he fights it off ok himself and you don't have to have it frozen off - I remember having warts on my hands frozen off as a teenager - and a slightly painful and very weird sensation - can't imagine would be that pleasant in a more delicate area.

thanks wysiwyg - i have also had warts burnt off (on my feet) and agree it's not exactly pleasant, although preferable to being under GA.
i wonder how the paediatrician will handle a 2y.o. with this process....

just noticed your avatar - love the tram - the hawks colours i am so-so about ;)

Sounds pretty nasty Tanya.

it's not fun to see your LO sick - although we're crossing our fingers and toes that his immune system takes care of it.

we're off to the paeditrician tomorrow again - for another $250 expert opinion. it's worth every cent as it's a condition uncommon in australia and hence we spent a lot of time at different GPs who couldn't diagnose it.

oh wow, I hope you are getting some good care and he's being looked after. What an unusual (unlucky) thing to get?? Can I ask you where about's in Thailand were you? Were you trekking in remote parts or just in the usual touristy areas? Reason I ask is we are going over to Thailand in Dec for another holiday (over there at xmas time last year too).

Hope your little man gets rid of it soon, poor lil guy!

I know someone who came back from a trip to Malaysia with mites under his skin. He showed me the track it made across his chest. It was raised and red and moved in a jagged fashion. Can't remember how he said it was treated but I do remember he said how itchy it was!

Good news - we went to the paediatrician this morning, who monitored the progress of the parasite, said it was definately a tropical parasite as he thought, and prescibed us an ani hook-worm syrup to treat it. Banana-flavoured, so my DS will actually drink it! Thank goodness there is no treatment such as freezing it off involved - we're hoping it all clears up within the few days treatment now.

@shanti - we were in a tourist area 3hourz south of Bangkok on the east coast, in my MIL's villa at a little Swedish resort called mango spa, about 30km westof Hua Hin. According to the paediatrician, this is one of the better things to get in Thailand! It's fairly commong over there, and easy to treat (once diagnosed). Not meaning to scare you. I don't know how you avoid stuff like this, aside from always wearing nappies/shoes maybe? We will probably be going back - the doc said it would have happened if DS was sitting on the ground/grass with a bare bum or thin bathers and the worm crawled up from the sand/grass and ate through the skin. My MIL had the same thing in her feet from walking barefoot (it turns out, as we hadn't wanted to tell her before when we thought it was a fistula before we had a diagnosis, as she has a tendency to freak out.)

@raven - that sounds exactly the same - you can see the track it's made, about 3 cm up and down eastward over two months, although you don't see it actually moving.

So, a very relieved mamma over here - let's see how it goes with the meds - fingers crossed.

Thanks tanyaya. Glad hes getting better and u have a good paed :)