Final Answer:
Maintain good personal hygiene practices such as regular handwashing, trim children's fingernails short, encourage regular bathing, and wash bedding and clothing frequently, especially underwear. Additionally, ensure all family members are treated simultaneously, and thoroughly clean and disinfect the living environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Preventing the spread and reinfection of pinworms involves a combination of personal and environmental hygiene practices. The nurse would likely instruct parents to:
1. Handwashing: Emphasize the importance of regular handwashing, especially after using the bathroom and before eating. This helps prevent the transfer of pinworm eggs from contaminated surfaces to the mouth.
2. Trimming Fingernails: Advise parents to keep children's fingernails short to minimize the chances of pinworm eggs accumulating under the nails.
3. Regular Bathing: Encourage regular bathing to maintain cleanliness and reduce the risk of contamination.
4. Frequent Washing of Bedding and Clothing: Instruct parents to wash bedding, pajamas, and underwear frequently, using hot water. This helps eliminate any eggs that might be present.
5. Simultaneous Treatment: Stress the importance of treating all family members simultaneously, even if they do not show symptoms. This prevents the continuous cycle of reinfection within the household.
6. Cleaning and Disinfecting: Advise thorough cleaning and disinfection of the living environment, including frequently touched surfaces, to reduce the likelihood of pinworm eggs being present.
These measures contribute to breaking the cycle of pinworm infection and preventing its spread among family members.