QUESTION: How Can I Tell if My Child Has Head Lice?
Head Lice (Pediculosis)
The head louse is a tiny, wingless parasitic insect that lives among human hairs and feeds on tiny amounts of blood drawn from the scalp. Lice (the plural of louse) can be a very common problem, especially for kids.
But while they can be a nuisance and frustrating to deal with, lice aren't dangerous. They don't spread disease, although their bites can make a child's scalp itchy and irritated, and rarely scratching may lead to infection.
Lice eggs (called nits)
Nits look like tiny yellow, tan, or brown dots before they hatch.
After hatching, the remaining shell looks white or clear. Lice lay nits on hair shafts close to the skin"s surface, where the temperature is perfect for keeping nits warm until they hatch. Nits can look similar dandruff, only they can't be removed by brushing or shaking them off. Lice eggs hatch within 1 to 2 weeks after they're laid.
Adult lice and nymphs (baby lice)
The adult louse is no bigger than a sesame seed and is brownish tan (although lice may look darker on people with dark hair). Nymphs are smaller and become adult lice about 7 days after they hatch. They can survive up 1-2 days off of the scalp.
Scratching
With lice bites come itching and scratching. However, the itching may not always start right away - that depends on how sensitive your child's skin is to the lice.
You may be able to see the lice or nits by parting your child's hair into small sections and checking for lice and nits on the scalp, behind the ears, and around the nape of the neck.
A magnifying glass and bright light may help. A doctor should be able to tell you if your child is infested with lice and needs to be treated. If you discover that your child does, indeed, have lice or nits, please contact the school nurse to let her know about it.
How are lice spread?
Lice are most commonly spread by direct head-to-head contact. However, much less frequently they are spread by by sharing clothing, bed linens or belongings onto which the lice may have crawled. The risk of lice spreading by a louse that has fallen off of its host is very small. They can not hop or fly. Personal hygiene or cleanliness of a home or school setting has nothing to do with getting head lice.
And you may wonder if Fido or Fluffy may be catching the pests and passing them on to your family? Pets can't catch head lice and pass them onto people or the other way around.
Treatment
Head lice are usually treated with products that can be purchased at a local drug store. These products are pesticide-based and should not be used more than once in a one week period . Your child's doctor or the school nurse can recommend a medicated shampoo should you need assistance. Your child's doctor may recommend repeating treatment in 7 to 10 days to make sure all the nits have been killed, to avoid any risk of re-infestation. Some medicated lice treatments are not recommended for children under two years of age.
Occasionally, it is not uncommon for treatments to be unsuccessful because of incorrect use or because the lice may be resistant to the medicated shampoos.
Removal of the eggs and nits from the hair is essential for a successful outcome. A fine-tooth comb or lice/nit comb can be helpful in removing nits. However, often using tweezers or one's fingernails is the most effective method. It is recommended that this be done after regular shampooing every 3 to 4 days for 2 weeks after the initial treatment.
Here are some simple steps you can take to help get rid of the lice and their eggs, and help prevent a lice re-infestation:
- Wash all bed linens and clothing that have been recently worn (within the last two days) by anyone in your home, who is infested, in very hot water (130 degrees Fahrenheit, or 54.4 degrees Celsius) then put them in the hot cycle of the dryer for at least 20 minutes. Items that cannot be washed can be dry-cleaned or sealed in a plastic bag for 2 weeks.
- Vacuum carpets and any upholstered furniture in your home or car, including child car seats.
- Soak hair-care items like combs, barrettes, hair ties or bands, headbands, and brushes in rubbing alcohol or very hot water (130 degrees F).
- Do not use fumigant sprays or fogs; they are not necessary to control head lice and can be toxic if inhaled or absorbed into the skin.
Can Lice Be Prevented?
Having head lice is not a sign of uncleanliness or poor hygiene. You can help to prevent your child from getting lice by taking the following precautions:
- Tell your child to try to avoid head-to-head contact when possible (in the gym, on the playground, at camp, or friend's home).
- Tell your child not to share combs, brushes, hats, scarves, bandanas, ribbons, barrettes, hair ties, towels, helmets, or other personal care items with anyone else, whether they may have lice or not.
*No matter how long the problem lasts, be sure to emphasize to your child that although having lice can a nuisance, anyone can get head lice. Be patient and follow the treatments, and preventative tips as directed by your child's doctor or school nurse for keeping the bugs at bay, and you'll be well on your way to keeping your family lice-free.
ANSWERS complied from “Kids Health”, Nemours Foundation, Barbara P. Homeier, MD. and Centers for Disease Control
For more information go to:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/common/head_lice.html
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/
https://www.nasn.org/portals/0/resources/HFLL_101_parents_2015.pdf
*** This information is an educational aid. It is not intended to replace a medical diagnose from a licensed physician. All questions and concerns should be directed to the School Health Services office &/or your family physician or pediatrician.
Back to Top