Diagnosing Lice
One thing about head lice
is that it is not exactly easy to diagnose, in this article
we will explore some of the ways to diagnose head lice and
what signs to look for.
When it comes down to it, head lice are extremely hard to
see and the eggs, called nits are even harder to see. They
move quickly, avoid all light sources and are basically
flesh-colored. There are quite a few signs that you can look
for when you think your child may have head lice.
The first sign is going to be the scratching along the
scalp. If you see your child scratching their head a lot,
you definitely need to get him or her checked out for head
lice. A head louse makes their meal off of human blood and
they feed several times a day, as soon as they bite the
scalp, they cause the human to have an itch. If the
scratching continues it can often lead to the scalp getting
bloody and infected so you will have to watch for extreme
scratching.
One item that you will need when you suspect head lice are
infesting you child’s scalp is a nit comb. This will allow
you to separate and comb through the strands and it will be
easier to spot nits/head lice. If you can not find any live,
crawling head lice it is important that you look for nits or
head lice eggs.
Nits usually attach themselves within ¼ of the base of the
hair shafts and they do not shake off – they need to be
picked off. Head lice and nits attach themselves onto the
hair follicles and will not shake off. Head lice can be seen
with the naked eye and while a head louse is small and
quick, if you use your nit comb, you will be able to see
them.
Nits are usually brown, tan or white and look somewhat like
dandruff but will not shake off or move when touched. Once
you have made your diagnosis, you will need to definitely
start treatment right away, whether you use shampoo,
conditioner or a lotion, starting treatment as soon as
possible will eliminate the annoyance from your child’s
head.
So there are all the tools you need to make an accurate head
lice diagnosis, all you need to watch out for are nits (head
lice eggs), live and crawling head lice and a nit comb so
you can part the hair and see the head lice.
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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