Does Your Child Suffer From Headlice
Do you think your child has head lice? Have you noticed him scratching his head frequently? Or maybe you’ve heard of an outbreak of head louse at his school? You can probably discover if your son or daughter has head louse by doing an easy evaluation at home.
The easiest way to identify head lice is by noticing their eggs in the hair. Lice eggs are also known as nits. Head lice will lay these eggs on the hair shaft close to the scalp. This is why a head examination depends on scrutinizing the scalp. Before the baby louse hatches, nits look yellow, tan, brown or clear. Once the louse has hatched, the shell will stay gluedStuck to the hair shaft. This is the easiest thing to identify, as it is white in color, looking somewhat like dandruff. The main difference between nits and dandruff is dandruff is easily shaken off of the hair shaft, while nits are stuck to the shaft.
Sometimes you will be able to notice adult head louse in your child’s hair, particularly if the hair is short. These little beasties are small, the same size as a sesame seed that you get on a hamburger bun, and they tend to have the exact coloring as your child’s hair. A lot of people understand that their kids are infected the moment they see the adult lice clambering through their child’s hair.
Head scratching is, without a doubt, another sign of a head lice infestation. In saying that, not all children find head lice to be itchy. Also, scratching the scalp could be an indication of other problems, such as dandruff or eczema. The itching from nits is commonly described as a tickle, or the sensation of something moving about on the scalp.
Children who have sensitive scalps, and spend a lot of time scratching because of the nits will regularly get a rash on their scalp. Head lice rash looks like red bumps at the base of the hair shaft. It may infrequently develop into a more extreme infection that needs antibiotics.
If you suspect your child may have head lice, part his hair and check the base of the hair strands for the nits. Pay particular concern to the areas of hair around the neck and ears. If you have trouble focusing up close, you may want to use a magnifying glass. Be sure to do the lice checking in bright light. If you find nothing, but the itching continues, it is time for a trip to the doctor. On the other hand, if there is persistent scratching, and you’ve heard of an outbreak at school or day care, you probably can be sure that the reason is head lice.
To treat head lice you can buy a chemical based shampoo that can eliminate the lice. Make sure you follow the application guide to the letter, because incorrect use will not wipe out all of the lice. You will also need to comb through the hair with a fine tooth comb to remove any nits that are not killed by the shampoo.
When you have treated your child, wash any clothes in the house, as lice have the ability to live up to three days off of the scalp if they are attached to clothing. Also, boil anything that comes in contact with an infected head, including brushes, bows and combs. It is especially important to wash any bedding. Vacuum all furniture and floors. Then look out for signs of re-infestation. If this happens, start the procedure again. It can be difficult, but you can get rid of head lice with the proper steps.
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