April 14, 2023 | They are small, about the size of a sesame seed, but they can be a big problem in the families of children between the ages of 3 and 11. Head lice are parasitic wingless insects that live on people’s heads and feed on their blood. Their eggs, called nits, are even smaller, about the size of a dandruff flake. In the United States, infestation with head lice is most common among preschool children attending child care, elementary school children, and the household members of infested children. Although reliable data on how many people in the United States get head lice each year is not available, an estimated 6 million to 12 million infestations occur each year. Children can spread the lice to their parents, caretakers, and others in their households. Girls seem more likely than boys to get head lice. This may be because girls tend to have more frequent head-to-head contact than do boys. You’ll often see girls in such contact at school, at camp or at a slumber party.

April 14, 2023 | While they are not known to spread any disease, the parasitic insects known as head lice can cause a bit of a ticklish situation for those children who have them and their families. Head lice and their eggs, or nits, are found almost exclusively on the scalp, particularly around and behind the ears and near the neckline at the back of the head. Head lice and nits are sometimes found on the eyelashes or eyebrows but this is uncommon. Head lice hold tightly to hair with hook-like claws at the end of each of their six legs. Nits are cemented firmly to the hair shaft and can be difficult to remove. Some of the signs of possible head lice infestation include a feeling of something moving in the hair, itching caused by an allergic reaction to the bites of the lice and difficulty sleeping, due to the fact that head lice are most active in the dark. Sores on the head caused by scratching can sometimes become infected with bacteria found on the person’s skin.

April 14, 2023 | Despite what many parents believe, personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice. Head lice move by crawling, they cannot hop or fly. They are spread by direct contact with the hair of an infested person. Because head lice crawl onto objects that have touched the human head, it is possible to get head lice by sharing everyday objects infested with lice such as hats, scarves, coats, hair accessories, brushes, combs, and towels. Resting your head on a bed, pillow, couch, chair, or rug that someone with head lice used is another way to get head lice. Head lice are very contagious. No matter how many times you or your child takes a shower or washes his or her hair, it’s still possible to get lice from head-to-head contact with someone who is already infested. Kids are most prone to catching lice because they tend to have close physical contact with each other and often share personal items.

April 14, 2023 | Determining whether or not you or your child have head lice is best done by finding a live nymph or adult louse on the scalp or hair. Because nymphs and adult lice are very small and move quickly, they can be difficult to find. Use of a magnifying lens and a fine-toothed comb may be helpful to find live lice. If crawling lice are not seen, finding nits firmly attached within a quarter-inch of the base of the hair shafts strongly suggests, but does not confirm, that a person is infested and should be treated. Nits that are attached more than a quarter-inch from the base of the hair shaft are almost always dead or already hatched. Nits are often confused with other things found in the hair such as dandruff and dirt particles. If no live nymphs or adult lice are seen, and the only nits found are more than a quarter-inch from the scalp, the infestation is probably old and no longer active and does not need to be treated. If you’re still not sure about infestation, consult a physician.

April 14, 2023 | Head lice can be treated with over-the-counter or prescription products. Shampoos and lotions that kill head lice contain pesticides and other chemicals, so it is important to talk to your doctor before using these products, especially if you are pregnant or nursing, or if you have allergies or asthma. It is also not safe to use products with pesticides on or near your eyes. If you find head lice or nits in eyelashes or brows, talk to your doctor. The products that kill head lice don’t usually kill all nits. To reduce the risk of another infestation, pick the remaining lice and nits by hand or by using a comb to remove them. Comb through all of the hair one section at a time every 3 days or more often, for at least 2 weeks or until you stop seeing head lice and nits. You should also use hot water to wash any towels and clothing used by the person who had head lice. Vacuum anything that can’t be washed such as the carpets, your child’s car seat and any stuffed animals.