Head Lice And Diagnosing The Problem
Between six and twelve million people in the U.S. alone struggle with infestations of head lice and body lice each year. Lice date back to ancient times, and they have lived as parasites on our bodies and scalps ever since. An adult louse has no wings, so when he finds a head to live on, he's there to stay. His only food is human blood. Living on the scalp means he always has a ready food source. It's a rare person who has never had to deal with head lice with children being the most susceptible to infestations.
It is quite simple to diagnose for head lice. You can look for the shiny white eggs in the hair or the presence of lice bites. However, the best way to check if a person has head lice would be to use a lice comb. The lice comb can be examined after combing their hair thoroughly, for any presence of lice.
As parents, the best way to prevent head lice on our children is to check them regularly. Most schools in the United States have a no nit policy which means that children with head lice are dismissed from class until the problem is dealt with and all lice have been removed.
Lice can be difficult to see and sometimes go undetected for a long time. It is important to check your own child regularly to make sure he or she has not been infected by another child. This is especially important for children between the ages of four and twelve, since this group is most at risk.
Keeping your child's hair short is a useful way to prevent nits. If your child has been infested with lice, you cannot send your child to school where others may then be contaminated. It is vital to wash all bedding and towels regularly in hot water. The first clue that your child has nits is constant scratching of the head and scalp.
Luckily there are several viable options for treating lice in children and adults. There are silicone-based lotions and herbal lotions. The application of heat will also work. While any of these methods will work, they are not one hundred percent successful on the first application of treatment. That is why following the full course of treatment is very important in order to prevent relapses.
Head lice, body lice and louse date back to ancient times. Lice are parasites; between six and twelve million people in the U.S. have infestations each year. Most schools have no nit policy. The best prevention is for parents to be diligent and examine their children frequently for lice. The first sign of an infestation is constant scratching of the head and scalp. Lice infestations can be diagnosed by closely examining the head for bites or white eggs on the hair shafts. Many treatments are available, including silicone based lotions, natural products and hot hair treatments. None of the treatments are 100 percent effective, so follow up is important.
Published February 16th, 2008