Children and Head Lice
 Children are especially
susceptible to head lice for a few different reasons.
Children tend to have closer physical contact with other
children, more so than adults have with each other; in
addition, they also have a habit of sharing personal items
with each other, such as brushes and hats.
Aside from these reasons,
children also congregate in large groups, such as in
childcare centers, schools and playgrounds. As a result of
these factors, head lice tends to spread more readily among
children.
Head lice cannot fly or
jump, but they do cling to the hair and other items,
attaching themselves to humans as soon as they come in
contact. Some of the most common means in which head lice
spread, is through personal clothing items, such as hats,
shirts, coats, scarves, etc. They may also spread when
someone shares items such as brushes and hair accessories.
Another means in which a
child can catch head lice is by using pillows, blankets and
bed linen that an infested person has used. Couches and
chairs are addition culprits in spreading lice. Head lice
can live off of the human host for at least three days.
To determine if your child has head lice, you have to use a
comb to part the hair and examine the hair shafts and scalp
with a magnifying glass while under a bright light.
Head lice move very quickly, sometimes making detection very
difficult, because of this you should always look for the
little brown or tan lice eggs that will be attached to the
shaft of the hair; usually near the scalp.
Examine the scalp closely,
as well as the area behind the ears and at the nape of the
neck. These areas may contain more lice, than the top of the
head.
Though frequently scratching the scalp may be a sign that
your child has head lice, itching does not always begin
right away. It may take a few weeks before the infestation
is bad enough to cause your child’s head to begin itching,
depending on how sensitive they are to the lice.
If your child has head lice
they may develop small, red bumps on the scalp due to
scratching. If the scalp lacerations become infect they may
be crusted over or oozing a clear or yellowish liquid. It is
a good idea to contact your child’s doctor if it appears
that your child has red bumps or sores on the scalp.
Because some of these symptoms of head lice may not be
obvious right away, it is important that you examine your
child for head lice on a frequent basis, especially during
the school year, or if they go to a daycare.
If you're interested in
more articles about head lice, click here -
Articles.
Enjoy!
I wish you all the best on your
head lice adventure!
Best wishes,
Thomas T :)
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