Facts about Head Lice
Head Lice are small parasitic insects which are most commonly found living on the scalp and neck. This is a matter of frustration for most of the parents as this is most common in young children. Head lice are most commonly spread by direct head-to-head contact. Head Lice is highly contagious and can easily be spread by sharing hygiene items such as a comb or hairbrush. The only relief is that Lice aren't dangerous and they don't spread disease. However, their bites may cause a child's scalp to become itchy and inflamed, and persistent scratching may lead to skin irritation and even infection.
Signs of Head Lice:
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Lice eggs (called nits): These look like tiny yellow, tan, or brown dots before they hatch.
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Scratching: With lice bites come itching and scratching. Small, red bumps or sores from scratching.
Head Lice treatment:
- Use a head lice shampoo.
- Diligently remove nits with a lice comb.
- You can also try to simply remove the live lice and nits manually.
- Wash your child's clothing and bedding in hot water and vacuum to remove lice and nits.
- There are also herbal remedies to treat head lice, including products with tea tree oil and other essential oils.
- Natural home remedies involve putting something on your child's scalp and hair to 'smother' the head lice. Popular choices include real mayonnaise, olive oil, and Vaseline.
- Soak hair-care items like combs, barrettes, hair ties or bands, headbands, and brushes in rubbing alcohol or medicated shampoo for 1 hour.
- Don't use a hair dryer on your child's hair after applying any of the currently available scalp treatments
Facts you must know about Lice:
- Nits hatch in 7 to 10 days and develop into an adult in another 7 to 10 days which can then lay more (up to 100) eggs.
- There is no single treatment that kills 100% of head lice or eggs. Whichever treatment you choose it can take time and persistence to get rid of head lice.
- While using chemical treatment only use products that are licensed or registered for head lice.
- Head lice eggs take 6-7 days to hatch. And when you treat, it's easy to miss an egg or two. By treating again in seven days you can kill and comb out any lice that have since hatched from eggs, which were missed.
Prevention:
- Guide your kids to avoid head-to-head contact at school or other public places.
- Ask kids not to share combs, brushes, hats, scarves, bandanas, ribbons, barrettes, hair ties or bands, towels, helmets, or other personal care items with anyone else
- Don't allow your kids to lie on bedding, pillows, and carpets that have recently been used by someone with lice.
- Every 3 or 4 days, examine members of your household who have had close contact with a person who has lice.
(Sources: health.vic.gov.au, kidshealth.org, pediatrics.about.com)
