Important facts about head lice:

Lice are insects about the size of a sesame seed.

Lice do not jump or fly. They are highly communicable (catching) and are usually transmitted by head to head contact, or by contact with clothing, combs or brushes. Hats, helmets, costumes, earphones, and pillows can also cause infestation.

There are thought to be more than 10 million cases in the U.S. every year.

Lice live for about a month. The adult females lay up to 10 eggs (nits) per day. The nits hatch in 7-10 days and the newborn lice (nymphs) are almost invisible. In about a week, the nymphs have matured and start laying their own eggs. This repeats the cycle.

 

 

Some truths and myths about lice:

- Lice infestation results from poor hygiene.

FALSE. Lice can infest anyone. In fact lice are known to prefer clean, healthy heads.

 

- Lice are more common in girls than in boys.

TRUE. Lice are more common in girls because they are more likely to share clothing, combs, or scrunchies.

 

- My child can get lice from our pet.

FALSE. Pets do not get lice and cannot transmit them from person to person.

 

- Lice are most common in school children from kindergarten to 6th grade.

TRUE. Lice are most common in 5-12 year aids because their play habits can lead to head to-head contact.

 

 

- Lice spread disease.

FALSE. Lice are not a health hazard and do not spread disease. They are a nuisance because the treatment is tedious, time consuming, and can be expensive. Completing the treatment can cause missed school or activities for the children and sometimes missed work for parents.

 

How do I tell If my child has lice?

- Adult lice bite to obtain blood for nutrition. These bites may cause itching, but most children do not have any symptoms.

- Most parents will find out their child has lice only by routine screening at school, or when informed of a classmate or friend who is infested.

- Lice move Quickly and shy away from the light making them difficult to see.

- Diagnosis is most often made by finding nits (eggs), which are attached to hair shafts as very small, ovoid, whitish flecks that are fixed in place.

 

How do I treat my child for lice?

-  Don't panic! With patience and a common sense approach you can eliminate this problem safely.

- Advice on the treatment of lice is abundant, but not all recommendations are safe and effective. Successful treatment will take time, patience, and follow-up.

- A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health showed that olive oil, mayonnaise, or Vaseline treatments are NOT effective.

 

 

A Four-Step Program for Successful Treatment:

 

Lice can be successfully treated at home, following these four steps:

I. Kill or remove the live lice

II. Remove all the nits

III. Clean the environment

IV. Follow up

These steps are explained in detail below. Don't be daunted by the detail. Read them through carefully and soon you'll be an expert.

 

 

To effectively eliminate lice, and to prevent a reinfestation, treat all affected individuals and the environment at the same time. Check all family members. It is NOT recommended to treat those who do not show evidence of lice.

 

I. Kill or Remove Live Lice.

There are basically two ways to remove lice; using an over-the counter chemical pesticide product, or manual removal.

 

 

Chemical Pesticide Products

Lice are frequentlv resistant to the expensive lice shampoos that once worked. Also, many parents prefer to avoid the use of strong chemicals on children. If vou choose to use one of the chemical pesticide products please check with your health care provider first, and follow the package directions EXACTLY. Definitely consult your doctor if you or the affected person are pregnant/nursing, have allergies, asthma, a seizure disorder, or are using any medication. Never use chemicals near the eyes, or if the skin is not intact. Lindane (Kwell) is very toxic, and should be avoided, as should environmental sprays.

Generally treatment with a chemical product requires a second application in 7-10 days. Do not apply more than twice.

Remember, these products do not kill the nits.

 

 

Manual Removal

Live lice move quickly on dry hair. They are typically light brown. They can be caught using a lice comb, tweezers, or fingernails, or by "sticking them" with double-sided tape wrapped around your fingers. The NPA (National Pediculosis Association, www.head lice.org) believes that mechanical removal with a comb is the safest and most effective alternative. They recommend a certain comb, the Lice-Meister@ but other metal lice combs are also effective. Combing removes both the lice and the nits. Helpful hint: Applying conditioner to the hair immobilizes the lice, so they can be seen and more easily removed.

 

II. Nit Removal

Nits are tiny yellowish or greyish-white oval eggs attached to the hair shaft at an angle. They are the size of poppy seeds. They are most often found at the nape of the neck and behind the ears very close to the scalp, but can be found anywhere. They do not wash off or blow away. Nits may be confused with dandruff, hair casts, or dried gel, but these brush off. Although it can take time, you must remove all the nits to ensure effective treatment and before your child can return to school. If all the nits are not removed they will hatch into crawling lice, generating a cycle of self reinfestation. This is why Wellesley has a NO NIT policy.

 

Nits can be removed with a special comb, cut out with small safety scissors, or removed by using the fingernails. Combing is best accomplished on damp hair, and using conditioner can make it easier.

 

 

Helpful hints:

- Nit removal, done properly, will take time. It may help to allow your child to watch TV or read a book.

- Work under good light. Visibility is key. Even if eyesight is not a problem, you may want to use "drugstore" reading glasses or a magnifying glass.

- Use a regular brush or comb to remove tangles, then divide the hair in sections and fasten off the hair that is not being worked on.

- Use a good lice comb, go through each section of hair FROM THE SCALP to the end of the hair. Rinse the comb by dipping in a bowl of warm water or holding under running water and dry with a paper towel to remove any lice, nits or debris between combings. Dispose of lice/nits carefully (ie. in the trash or toilet).

- Look through each section of hair for live lice or attached nits. Go on to the next section until the entire scalp has been completed.

- Rinse out the conditioner and then repeat the combing process for the whole head again until no more lice or nits are found. Thorough combing on day #1,5, 9, and 13 will remove the lice as soon as they hatch, and before they can multiply.

 

III. Clean the Environment

Although an essential step in treatment, it is not necessary to turn your house upside down in an effort to get rid of lice. Save most of your time and energy for thorough nit removal on all affected family members. Lice depend on human blood to survive and typically die within 24 hours without a host. (nits also die off humans). But some cleaning is necessary to remove a possible source of reinfestation.

- Machine wash all recently used (last 3 days) clothing, towels, and bedding in hot water and dry in a hot dryer. Items that cannot be washed (ie scrunchies, ribbons) can be put into sealed plastic bags for 2 weeks or put in a hot dryer for 20 min. or some items can be dry cleaned. The NPA feels that bagging may not be necessary. Helpful hint: Don’t forget hats and coats.

 

- Vacuuming is the best way to remove lice or fallen hairs with attached nits from upholstered furniture, rugs, stuffed animals and cars. Hair bushes and combs can be replaced or soaked in hot water (130 F.) for 10 min. Helpful hint: Most hairbrushes and combs can be run through the dishwasher using a small amount of standard dish washing detergent.

 

IV. Follow up

- Even under the best of conditions, a few lice or nits will probably be missed. In addition to the combing schedule above, a daily nit check is advisable for at least 10 days.

- Seeing a nit or two in the next few days does not necessarily mean reinfestation. However be sure to remove them immediately. Being consistent and diligent will go a long way toward controlling the problem.

- If additional nits (3-5 per day) are discovered, this may signal that live lice may still be on the head or that your child has been reinfested by a friend, classmate, or sibling. Finding even one live louse means you need to carefully recomb.

 

Important: Notify your school nurse and your child's playmates' parents so others can be screened before they become infested. Don't be embarrassed. Notifying them may prevent reinfestation of your child later.