With the new school year well underway, once again, we heed to call to keep our eyes open for the dreaded symptoms of head lice. Unfortunately, for as long as kids have been in school, the challenge of head lice remains a threat. If you have children, especially young girls, it is important that you learn how to identify and treat lice. Misdiagnosis is also a problem when you are attempting to identify head lice. Head lice infect hair on the head. They are easiest to see on the neck and over the ears. Tiny eggs on the hair look like flakes of dandruff. However, instead of flaking off the scalp, they stay put. Before treating your child with the common treatment, shampoos, home remedies, etc., make sure that you have identified the condition as “lice” and not just dandruff or dry skin. Shampoos and other remedies can be both costly and time consuming, keeping in mind that just by using the shampoo it is not a “preventative”.
Head lice is easily spread. You can get head lice when you come into close contact with an infested person or touch their clothing or bedding. Head lice is spread commonly among school children for this reason as they love to share their hats, brushes and other articles that come directly in contact with their persons. Teaching your children to not share these types of items will definitely reduce their chances of infestation. For girls that have long hair, another good idea is to keep their hair pulled back in a “pony tail”.
SYMPTOMS
Intense itchy scalp, small, red bumps on the scalp, neck and shoulders and tiny white specks (eggs, or nits) on the bottom of each hair that are hard to get off.
TREATMENT
Lotions and shampoos containing permethrin are usually effective. They are available over-the-counter. If these do not work, a doctor can give you a prescription for medicine that contain insecticides. Such medicine should be used exactly as directed.
Certain products make the eggs (nits) easier to remove. Some dishwashing detergents can help dissolve the “glue” that makes the nits stick to the hair shaft.
You can remove the eggs with a nit comb. Before doing this, rub olive oil in the hair or run the metal comb through beeswax . This helps make them easier to remove.
Metal combs with very fine teeth are stronger and more effective than plastic nit combs. These metal combs are easier to find in pet stores or on the Internet than in pharmacies.
Removing eggs may prevent the lice from returning if the medication fails to kill every one of them.
Treat children and adults with lice promptly and thoroughly.
Wash all clothes and bed linens in hot water with detergent. This also helps prevent head lice from spreading to others during the short period when head lice can survive off the human body.
Keep in mind that some schools may have policies to make sure the environment is clear of lice. Sometimes, the insects or their eggs get into areas such as carpets. Frequent cleaning of carpets and all other surfaces in child-care centers prevents further spread of all types of infections, including head lice.