The Facts of Lice

The Facts of Lice

If your child is constantly scratching his or her head, especially in the back or behind the ears, then its time to take good look for head lice.

Anybody can get head lice, and it has absolutely nothing to do with how clean or dirty your kids or your house is. Head lice don’t care if you’re clean or dirty, rich or poor, a boy or a girl. All you need is hair.

A common misunderstanding about lice is that they jump from one head to another, but the fact is lice can’t jump or fly. They can move really, really fast from one head to another. The number one way that head lice travel from one head to the next is by direct physical contact, including sharing combs, brushes, hats and sports helmets. Lice also lay eggs, which are called “nits.”

To check your child, part the hair into small sections and look under bright, preferably natural light. Nits (lice eggs) are grayish in color and are about the size of a poppy seed, so they’re hard to find. They are usually attached to the hair shaft near the scalp and are not easily removed.

If your child has lice, call your doctor. Chances are you will be told to get a lice shampoo and comb. Everybody in the family who has hair will be told to shampoo. (If dad is bald he may want to shampoo just to feel like part of the family). You also will need to do a thorough cleaning of your child’s bedding and carpet, and the stuffed animals will need to go into quarantine (a plastic bag will do).

You need to continue checking your child’s hair every day for at least 10 to 14 days after treatment. The reason for this is the possibility of re-infestation from the hatching of lice eggs that may have been missed during the initial treatment because there is a possibility of re-infestation resulting from other infested people and from various household objects.

Make sure to let your child’s school (or camp) know, if they weren’t the ones to tell you. And then get on the phone and alert the parents of your child’s friends. They may not be thrilled with the news, but they’ll be grateful. If everyone eliminates the problem at the same time, re-infestation is less likely.

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