Question

The 5-year-old is being tested for enterobiasis (pinworms). To collect a specimen for assessment of pinworms, the nurse should teach the mother to:

A. Examine the perianal area with a flashlight 2 or 3 hours after the child is asleep
B. Scrape the skin with a piece of cardboard and bring it to the clinic
C. Obtain a stool specimen in the afternoon
D. Bring a hair sample to the clinic for evaluation

Answer 1

To check for pinworms, the mother should be instructed to examine the perianal area with a flashlight after the child is asleep or use transparent tape in the morning to collect eggs for microscopic diagnosis.

Step-by-step explanation:

To collect a specimen for assessment of pinworms, it's best to use the method that detects the eggs laid by the female worms during the night. Therefore, the nurse should instruct the mother to: examine the perianal area with a flashlight 2 or 3 hours after the child is asleep. This is when the female pinworms are most active. However, an alternative and more commonly used method involves using transparent tape to collect any potential eggs from around the anus first thing in the morning for three consecutive days, which can then be examined under a microscope for definitive diagnosis.