Back to school-Head Luce treatment and prevention

A Head louse is a very common condition in the United States. They are small wingless insects that reside in the human scalp and end up consuming human blood. These insects are not known to transmit any diseases but they can easily be transferred from one person to the other in case of direct contact. Although they don’t transmit any diseases, they can be a cause of worry. According to statistics, there are about 12 million cases of this condition in the US that doctors deals with every year. Most people think that there’s a particular season for head lice but the fact is that they can affect someone any time and seasons of the year. They are also known to be very common as the kids reports back to school after summer and even at the begin of the year. Head lice are very common among children of three years up to the age of eleven. As a matter of fact, head lice can nest on these children regardless of the health, hygiene and cleanliness. Most people today argue that these insects are more likely to attack girls more than boys. The main reason is because of their long hair. The other reason is because girls are more likely to exchange brushes and other accessories.

What are Lice? How can they be transmitted?

rnAs I had already stated, these are wingless insects that are likely to infect school going children mostly at the end of summer and the beginning of the year. They are known to feed exclusively on human blood. They can multiply very fast because they lay 4-5 eggs in a day. Their eggs are known as ‘’nits’’ and they are usually found close to the scalp. The main reason for this is because of the warmth. On warmer seasons, they can easily be found far from the scalp because there’s enough warmth. Head lice link text can be transmitted easily via head to head contact. It’s very easy to contact them also when you exchange combs and hair brushes, bedding, hats, helmets and other accessories. This is actually the main reason why they are commonly found in girls than boys.

What are some of their symptoms?

rnThere are several symptoms that someone is likely to get when they have these insects on their sculp. The first and the most common symptom is itching of the scalp. Though, this can vary from one patient to the other depending on several factors. It can as well take some time before you start getting this symptom. As a matter of fact, it can take you 2-4 weeks before you notice this or any other symptom. rnThe main reason why the patient is likely to deal with itching is because of the response to the lice saliva and other excretions. Although most of the people will experience these symptoms, there are some that are regarded asymptomatic and may not experience any symptoms. As a parent, it’s up to you to check if your child has lice. There are several ways to do this. Sit him/her under a bright light and separate the hair into sections. In fact this is the easiest way to check if there are any eggs in the hair. The eggs will be looking like tiny seeds that are attached to the hair. You don’t have to confuse nits with dandruff. If you are having a hard time differentiating, then it’s very easy to check and know. The dandruffs are very easy to remove from the hair but nits are not. The eggs also have a grey or caramel color when they are laid. They also change color after they get empty.

How can you prevent a head lice infestation?

Treating these insects starts by detecting their presence. As I had already stated, it’s easy to recognize them but in the case of a carrier, you need to take some extra caution. The best way to prevent these insects is by teaching the child to keep his/her own accessories and hair brushes. This will reduce the chances of passing these troublesome insects to other people. They should as well not to share any accessories or items that touch their hair including headbands, brushes, ear buds, scarves and hats. rnThere are several ways you can get ready for head lice seasons. Some of the best ways is to: ● Check for lice and nits-This makes sure you can detect them early enough and eventually deal with them before they multiply. ● Treat the head lice immediately you detect them-After detecting their presence, there’s a reason why you should treat them fast enough. You don’t want the child to pass them to the friends and you also don’t want to spend a lot of time treating them later. ● Double check to be sure-There’s no reason why you should check once and be sure. You have to spare enough time to check and double check to be certain.

What to do if a school reports a head lice infestation?

rnInspect the child’s hair-This is the first step to make. It ensures that you are sure if the child already has them so that you can act accordingly. You also have to check household items that can be as well infested which include rugs, towels and beddings. It’s also upon you to look on the clothes and eventually advice the child not to make any head to head contact with any student in the school.

What to do if you find lice

The good news is that there are a couple of over the counter lice treatments that you can go for. Look for lice shampoos and several other home remedies. Though, you should be careful because many of these lice treatment contain toxins that can be harmful.

Should you treat other family members?

Definitely, there are all the reasons why you should treat anybody close to you. First of all, it helps reduce instances of passing them from one person to the other. Secondly, it ensures that all your friends and family are in good health.

Stop the epidemic

It’s your responsibility as the parent or a teacher to stop the endemic. Every person in the community has the responsibility to educate the children about this infestation and eventually advise them accordingly. Just remember that these insects cannot jump or even fly. So the best solution is to avoid any head to head contact with the patient.