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WHAT ARE HEAD LICE?

 

Head lice are small, wingless parasites that infest human heads, feeding on blood sucked from the scalp.

 

Head lice lay eggs, called nits, close to the scalp, attaching them to the           hair shaft with a very strong sticky substance.  The egg hatch after about seven days and the baby lice mature into adult after another two weeks.  These adult become laying more eggs, and before long hundred of lice and nits have taken up residence.

 

An infestation of head lice is known medically as pediculosis and is very common, especially among children aged three to ten.

 

Lice do not jump from head to head– they crawl.  This is why infestation are so common in young children, who often play with their heads close together.  It is unusual for live lice to be found on pillow, hairbrushes, or towels because they need warmth in order to survive.

 

Signs and symptoms

 

    A head lice infestation often embarrasses parents. But it has nothing to do with your child's hygiene (in fact, lice love dean hair more than dirty hair!). Head lice may, however, be present if:

 

• Your child experiences a tickly feeling of something moving around in her hair, especially around the ears and nape of the neck.
• She complains frequently of an itchy scalp.
• When you inspect her head you can see sore spots on her scalp.
• She keeps scratching her head when she is asleep at night. 

Head lice are a very common problem among small children, especially once they start nursery school. Inspecting your child's hair regularly will allow you to treat her before the infestation becomes severe.

 

What to look for

    

     The easiest sign to look for is the presence of nits (louse eggs). Nits appear as tiny specks that look like dandruff, but are very difficult to dislodge from the hair.

 

• Sitting close to the scalp, nits are grey in color until hatched, when they turn white. 
• Nits are often found along the hair line, behind the ears and at the back of the neck. 
• Lice are harder to detect, but if you comb your hair over a white sheet of paper using a nit or a comb you may be able to comb out some nits and any dead lice. 
• An adult louse has six legs, is about the size of a sesame seed and is light brown or grayish in color. 
• It's easier to dislodge lice and nits if you use the nit comb on wet, newly conditioned hair. See the step-by­ step guide to wet combing, overleaf. 

The head louse (pediculus humanus capitis) is light brown or grey and has six hooked legs, which cling tenaciously to human hair. Live lice are difficult to detect, especially in dark hair.

 

Wet combing step-by-step

 

Although you can buy chemical treatments for head lice, these are costly, potentially toxic, unsafe to use on toddlers and do not always work. The wet combing method is safe and reliable, if you follow the instructions below.

 

Wet your child's hair then shampoo as usual. Next, apply a very liberal amount of conditioner all over the head. (This should be around twice or three times the amount you might use for a normal hairwash) Smooth the hair down carefully. 

Without rinsing off the conditioner, start combing the hair into sections, using a special nit comb. Work from the roots upwards, lifting the hair as you comb. Pay particular attention to the area behind the ears and at the nape of the neck. 

Check for lice on the comb after each stroke, and rinse them away, preferably by dipping the comb into a bowl of hot water mixed with a drop of vinegar. Continue working until you have combed all of the hair. 

Rinse the conditioner off and dry the hair as usual. Repeat the process every two to three days for at least two weeks. Check the rest of the family, including yourself, for infestation, and treat if necessary. 

Getting help

 

Generally, there is no need to consult your doctor if your child has head lice, but it is best to bear the following in mind:

 

• If your child's scalp looks inflamed, it is worth seeking medical advice, as some of the sore spots may have become infected.
• It's usually possible to self-treat head lice as described above.
• Remember to avoid chemical preparations for children under the age of two. Wet combing is the safest way to deal with the problem, and is also the cheapest. 

Treatment

 

If you choose to use a chemical treatment to get rid of lice, make sure you ask your pharmacist's advice first. Avoid an alcohol-based treatment if your child is asthmatic.

 

• It can take up to two weeks to eliminate an infestation of head lice. Affected family members should be treated, but there is no benefit in treating non-infested members. 
• There is a range of chemical preparations available over the counter from your local pharmacist, or on prescription from your GP. Treatment is usually in the form of a shampoo or lotion. 
• All chemical head lice treatments are potentially toxic if misused, so it is vitally important to carefully follow the instructions. 
• Chemical treatments usually need to be repeated and don't always work: head lice are becoming more and more immune - this is why infestations are increasingly common. 

Caution!

Children under the age of two, pregnant women and asthmatics should not be treated with chemical preparations for killing head lice. Ask at your health food shop about natural remedies, or try the wet combing method, as described. This is laborious, but can be just as effective as any special preparation - and there are no side-effects.

 

Your home and family pets

 

Although an infestation of head lice is unpleasant for the whole family, there is no need to panic if you detect lice in your child’s hair.

 

• Head lice need warmth as well as human blood to survive, which is why egg are laid close to the scalp.  Any lice that crawl off on to pillows, furniture, carpet or clothing will not survive so there is no need to take action around the home. 
• As the latin name suggests, the common head louse live on human scalps only, so family pets will not be affected.  If your dog or cat suddenly starts scratching, it’s probably a case of fleas.

 

For  More  Information:  Please  consult  your  physician  on  your  next  visit.