How to avoid and manage head lice: What parents needs to know!
How to avoid and manage head lice; What parents need to know!
Head lice are a common frustration for children, parents and schools alike. Many people will start to feel itchy just thinking about the word. While, school outbreaks are bound to happen, there are few strategies that kids and families can try in hopes of avoiding lice.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE LICE THEMSELVES:
Lice are tiny little bugs who love human hair. Lice are a human parasite and require human blood to survive. When not attached to its human host, lice can only survive for 1-2 days. Since lice are a human parasite, this also means that lice cannot be transferred between pets and humans.
The life cycle of lice is approximately 1 month.
Week 1: New eggs (nits) are laid in the hair and hatched
Week 1: Nymphs hatch from the eggs and grow into adult lice
Week 3: Adult lice reproduce and can lay 5-10 new egg per day
Week 4: Adults lice continue laying eggs until they die by the end of the week
HOW IS LICE TRANSMITTED FROM PERSON TO PERSON?
Head lice are spread by direct head to head contact or head to object contact (when that object has been in contact with a person’s head with lice in the past 1-2 days). Lice only crawl. They do not jump or fly. Thus, if your child’s head does not come in direct with the head or object, your child cannot be infested with lice. In other words, you cannot get lice by standing next to someone with lice, you must either come in direct contact with their hair or an item that has touched their hair, such as a brush, headband, pillow, or clothing. Caution using shared spaces where coats and hats are hung. Make sure you wash anything that comes home from the “lost and found” prior to wearing!
ANYONE can get lice. Lice infestations are not limited to situations of poor hygiene or socioeconomic status. If you get lice, it is often just bad luck. Certainly crowed living conditions allow for increased transmission of lice, and this is also the case for schools, camps, daycares and other situation where many children will play together.
At the current time, head lice are not know to carry disease. Some organizations, such as the National Pedicuolosis Association (NPA), are skeptical. Research continues to evaluate this question and the relationship of lice to the transmission of certain diseases, such as those often associated with body lice and ticks. (Body lice and head lice are not the same).
LICE PREVENTION— NO SHARING!
Do not share anything with anyone that might touch your head. Teach your children this lesson and repeat it over and over again, especially at the start of school and after any holiday break - when kids may be more forgetful or excited to share new items with friends.
This is the most important and effective way to avoid the transmission of lice.
Tell your children: No sharing!!
headbands
hats
scarves
hairbrushes
pillows
blankets
clothing with hoods
glasses and sunglasses
TREATMENT OF LICE:
There are two primary methods for the treatment of lice:
1) The comb-out method
2) Medicated shampoos combined with combing.
COMB-OUT METHOD: The National Pediculosis Association recommends combing through the hair with a specialized fine toothed comb to remove all of the nits and lice from the hair shaft. The goal of this association is to avoid the use of any potentially harmful chemicals on the hair and scalp and also reduce the likelihood of resistance of lice to the medications due to overuse. The NPA also recommends that children are kept home from school until all lice and nits are removed from the hair to ensure that the potential transmission of lice is stopped.
STEP 1: wet hair
STEP 2: separate hair into a small section
STEP 3: using a fine toothed comb, comb through this section of the hair
STEP 4: Wipe the comb between each comb through to remove any nits
STEP 5: repeat through entire head of hair until all nits are removed
MEDICATED SHAMPOO: Medical societies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, on the other hand, recommend the use of medicated shampoos to kill the lice and nits from the hair followed by the comb-out method. Most of the studies comparing methods for lice elimination found that a combination of medicated treatment in combination with combing were the most effective.
Below is chart created by the American Academy of Pediatrics which reviews the multiple different types of medicated treatments for lice. Most pediatricians will recommend Nix for the initial treatment of lice, unless local resistance is known in your area. It is important to talk to your pediatrician prior to starting any treatment for lice.
OTHER TIPS:
1) Make sure to do head checks on all family members and treat as necessary
2) Wash any linens that were used within 2 days of finding the head lice. Make sure that your heat (water and dryer) temperature is at least 52F. Lice are actually able to create a heat-resistant barrier so some times temperatures of up to 100F are needed. NOTE: heat is NOT an effective method for removing lice from the hair.
3) Vacuuming is the best method for removing lice from other areas of the home, including couches, floors, carpet, car seats, mattresses. Do not spray your home with chemicals. This is not necessary or helpful and can be harmful to your family.
WHEN TO RETURN TO SCHOOL:
When to have your child return to school can vary from school to school. The AAP recommends return to school once your child has completed the first treatment for lice with a medication and combing. The AAP feels that it is important to no children are excluded from school due to a lice infestation once it has been treated.
Others recommend a “No Nit Policy” where children are expected to stay home until ALL of the nits and adult lice have been removed from the hair. Proponents of this side believe that controlling the problem and preventing further infestations is a greater public health issue and that schools should be a nit and lice free community.
Parents will need to check with their local school systems and pediatricians to determine the policy for your area.
Remember: PREVENTION is key. Stress the NO SHARING rule with your children and be sure to periodically check your children for any signs of lice.
References:
1) Sangaré, A. K., Doumbo, O. K., & Raoult, D. (2016). Management and Treatment of Human Lice. BioMed research international, 2016, 8962685. doi:10.1155/2016/8962685
2) Head Lice: What parents need to know. Americal Academy of Pediatrics. Updated 3/17/17.
3) https://www.licemeister.com
4) https://www.headlice.org/comb/
5) Lice. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lice/symptoms-causes/syc-20374399
