Sandboxes and playing in the dirt have long been beloved childhood staples. Along with pails, shovels and spoons, a good sandbox or patch of soft dirt can occupy a child for hours. But few parents know those sandboxes may be harboring a pest that can threaten their child's health and well-being.

Roundworms, also called nematodes, are one of the most common types of intestinal parasites in the world with over 20,000 different species. Children are often infected with them, as the eggs can be found in sandboxes, dirt and other places that children are prone to be. The results of a roundworm infestation can range from mild to severe. The most frightening thing about this problem is that so few parents are aware of it.

Brenda Reynolds, a mother of one from Orwell, N.Y., had no idea there was a threat. "I didn't know that children can get roundworms from sandboxes," Reynolds says. "I live in the country, and we always had a sandbox for my son. In fact, my nephews have one right now."

Dirt, sandboxes and infected toys can all be the culprits in roundworm infestation. Young children, who are more liable to put dirt or dirty hands in their mouths, have a higher incidence of infection.

Dr. Mark Towns, a board-certified pediatrician for the Methodist Health System in Dallas, Texas, says roundworm infections are very common in children. "Roundworms, the type often referred to as pinworms, are a common infection seen throughout the world," Dr. Towns says. "The infection, enterobiasis, is caused by a person, usually a young child, ingesting the eggs. Once the eggs are ingested, they mature in the child's intestines. Usually, one to two months later, adult female worms exit the rectum and deposit eggs around the anal opening. This activity typically occurs at night and leads to intense rectal itching."

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