Nit Pickers Should Get Their Head Examined
Friday, August 25, 2006
Healthline
Your child returns to school, everything is going fine, and then the note comes home from the school nurse. "Dear parent, the school nurse has determined that little Johnny has a small ecosystem growing in his hair and he is being excluded from school until every
nit is nixed." In observance of Head Lice Prevention Month the
National Pediculosis Association wants you to know that there are safe ways to
control these pesky beasts.
The
head lice note is probably the most embarrassing school-related communication a parent or child can receive, but it shouldn't be a scarlet letter. A louse is an equal opportunity
parasitic insect that lives in areas where hair grows, sipping on blood from nearby blood vessels in the scalp. Some heads are more susceptible than others and cleanliness has nothing to do with it. Girls get it more than boys and women more than men. It is primarily a head-to-head
transmission, but you can also catch it when you share personal items that belong to an infected person. They aren't a danger to anyone and they don't carry disease, but they can be more then a casual nuisance. They itch and can cause irritation and sometimes an infection can develop when the skin is broken.
There are over-the-counter and prescription treatments and a host of strategies to get the nits off the hair shaft.
Join
Healthline in discovering how to
prevent lice infestation or treat it once the kids (and some adults) drag them home.
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3 Comments:
At Mon Jun 11, 06:27:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
Why is it that my son nor I ever get head lice? We both have been exposed numerous times. Especially since his children started school a few yrs ago. They have used our combs/brushes, laid on our beds/pillows and of course we have all hugged.
I tease my son and say we are just too ugly, but I would really like to know why some are not susceptable.
Luella
At Sun Nov 18, 07:50:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
i have tried many products and yet continue to have problems with the nits and head lice. do you know of any sure product or techniques?
At Mon Nov 19, 11:14:00 AM 2007,
JC Jones MA RN said…
Lice and nits are a frustrating problem. My daughter has long, dark, thick hair and I went through it big time when she was younger. These are my recommendations based on experience. It takes perseverance.
Go to any drug store and get the following supplies:
Egg & nit comb (with metal teeth)
Egg & nit combing gel
Lice killing shampoo
In-home Lice spray
Some stores like Walgreen's sell these as a kit. Wash all bedding in HOT water. Spray all household items including stuffed animals, pillows and mattresses with the In-home Lice spray.
Apply the gel to hair and comb it out with the nit comb. Wash it with warm water. Apply the Lice killing shampoo and LEAVE IT ON FOR 30 MINUTES with a SHOWER CAP> YOUR CHILD WILL HATE YOU> this must be done. Wash with warm water. Clean the nit comb and comb hair again. Go through hair section by section and remove any eggs, nits or lice that you see. Check head daily. Repeat process weekly until all lice are gone.
Do not allow your kids to sleepover at other kid's houses until all the lice and nits are gone to avoid cross contamination.
Good luck. You will survive.
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