I get little white worms in my poop and they're about the size of my pinky nail and there really thin. What could they be? They make my butt itch really bad, too.

Dear Brooklynn,

You most likely have pinworms. Pinworm is the most common worm infection in the United States.

Pinworms are parasites that live in the large intestine. They come out through the anus to lay eggs at night. Pinworms are about a third of an inch long and look like white threads. Often, some of them can be seen in the bowel movements.

When you scratch your butt in the middle of the night while you are sleeping, then touch your mouth, or food that will end up in your mouth, you eat the eggs that are under your fingernails and get re-infected.

See your doctor. There is a pill that you can take to get rid of these worms. It is called Vermox. There are also OTC meds to treat pinworms, and eating raw, shredded carrots helps to expel the worms.

Thanks for asking Motherload!

Motherload is a Certified Nurse Assistant as well as an IBS sufferer, which means she knows a lot about poop. Got a question for her? Ask it here. [1]