Persistent Headlice Infestations

Today it is becoming more and more common for headlice treatments to fail. When this happens, the reoccurring infestation becomes evident within a few weeks after treatment. Persistent headlice infestation can go on for months, and in a few cases, even years. Not only is this an incredible amount of trouble, it can actually be emotionally traumatic for the person who has the headlice infestation, as well as others in the household.
Usually the reason behind a persistent headlice infestation is the direct environment the person is in. It may be that they are being re-infested through household items that were not treated, or someone who they are in close contact with has failed to treat their condition and is still spreading lice.

Another problem that is being seen frequently is that the common shampoo and cream treatments are no longer 100% effective in treating headlice. This is partly due to the fact that the lice are becoming immune to the insecticides in the treatments, so they are no longer killing lice the way they once did.

Persistent headlice infestation can be a big problem. For one thing you can only safely use the medicated treatments so often before they become a health hazard, in addition the emotional stress of having to continually treat all members in your household for headlice will take its toll quickly.

To best fight headlice infestations it is imperative that it be treated properly from the beginning. Treat the hair and carefully remove all the nits from the hair shaft with a specially designed comb.
Always vacuum the carpet and furniture in your home immediately after treatment, and you will also want to wash all bedding and clothes in hot water. Soak combs, brushes and other hair items in very hot water, or completely discard them and buy the items new.

Aside from these steps, you may want to let all people you, or your family has been in contact with, know that there was a headlice infestation and that they should check to ensure that they do not have them.
This will help to eliminate the possibility that the headlice will be passed back and forth between people who are frequently in each other’s company. If you have children in daycare or school, call and let them know that your child was exposed to headlice.

Another very important step is to retreat the hair after a week. This will help to rid the head of any newly hatched lice; in addition, keep checking at least every other day for a reoccurring infestation, even after the second treatment.

Also speak with your healthcare provider about what you can do to eliminate headlice.

My Child is Scratching His Head - Could it be Head Lice?

When you observe your child consistently scratching his head, it is a good idea to examine their hair for a head lice infestation. A persistent itching on the head is a common symptom of head lice.
The itching associated with head lice is usually caused by an allergic reaction to the louse bites, and as they are continually biting, it is nearly impossible to be rid of the itching without treating the infestation.
Some additional symptoms of a head lice infestation include,

•    People who are infested with head lice will frequently feel a tickle like feeling in the hair, as if something is moving around in the hair, and on the head.
•    The infested person may develop sores on their head as a result of constant scratching to relieve the itch.
•    Another problem that may be seen in an infested person is that the sores on their head become infected. This can become a serious health condition if left untreated.

Before head lice can be diagnosed, you must examine the head closely. Look for nits and lice near the scalp, as well as throughout the rest of the hair. Actually spotting an adult louse may be hard because these insects move very fast, and they also have a tendency to avoid light.
In the case that you are unable to confirm head lice by viewing an adult louse, you should then look for the nits close to the scalp. If nits are present, you can probably confirm a head lice infestation. If you discover nits that are more than a quarter inch from the scalp, it is likely that the infestation has been a problem for some time, and immediately treatment is essential.

There are times when it is difficult to see nits on the hair shaft, if this is the case and you are unable to be sure that there are nits on the hair, you should have your healthcare provider check for nits and head lice. They may have a much easier time confirming, or eliminating an infestation, as they can use a microscope to check for nits and head lice.
Once a head lice infestation has been diagnosed, it is important to treat the condition as soon as possible to avoid spreading lice to others. Ensure that you wash all clothing and replace hair accessories, and combs.

How to deal with head lice at your kid’s school

Head lice can reach epidemic proportions in some public schools today, as well as other group settings, such as childcare centers. Time and again children are sent home with lice. After treatment they are sent back to school only to catch lice again within a month or two.
The head lice epidemic in public schools can be a nightmare for some parents, especially if their family has a case of persistent head lice. With persistent head lice many treatments don’t seem to work, and even after several treatments the lice and nits are still in the hair.

There are different ways to tackle the head lice problem, one of them is by taking preventative measures. Once your family has head lice, getting rid of it can be very difficult, not to mention a lot of hard work, so it makes sense that taking preventative precautions is one of your best defenses against these parasitic insects.
If you have children that are school age, or in childcare, make sure that they understand first of all, what lice is. Ensure that they understand having lice does not make them bad, or dirty, but that it can be miserable and hard to get rid of.

Let your children know what types of behavior will increase their chances of being exposed to head lice. Ask them not to share coats, hats, brushes or any other personal items at school
Teaching your children not to share personal items will go a long way in helping to prevent a head lice infestation in your family, but it’s not enough. While your children are spending time within group settings, such as school or preschool, you should also vigilantly check their hair at least once a week for signs of head lice or nits.

The best way to do this is by using a specially designed comb for removing head lice. Under a bright light, examine your child’s head for any signs of the insects, and also run the comb through their hair to remove any possible freeloading louse.
This may seem to be an extreme inconvenience, but it is nothing compared to the work you will face if your child does bring home head lice. Once your family has head lice you will be faced with treating the hair multiple times, as well as nightly combing to remove nits. Even then you won’t be done; you will have to deal with the monumental task of vacuuming and cleaning every surface in your home, washing endless laundry, and even delousing your car.
By far, the best option is to prevent head lice.

Head Lice Myths

Head lice are one of the most commonly misunderstood topics today. There are several myths about head lice, some of them may have a thread of truth to them, but most are simply widespread misunderstandings.

- Head lice can jump from person to person: This is untrue; head lice cannot jump or fly. They spread through direct contact, or indirectly by means of personal items such as hat, combs, brushes etc.

- It is absolutely necessary to use a pesticide in my house to rid it of head lice: Though you can choose to do this if you want, it really is not necessary and not recommended. Head lice can only live for about 2 to 3 days when they are not on a human host. If there happens to be lice eggs on carpet or furniture, when they hatch they will have to feed within a short period of time or they will die. Vacuum the carpet and furniture, and then concentrate on bedding, clothes, combs, brushes and stuffed animals.

- You can treat a head lice infestation with petroleum jelly: Though a petroleum jelly may smother lice, it will not kill the nits, or lice eggs. In addition, it is very hard to remove it from the hair.

- It is necessary to shave the hair when treating for head lice: It is true that this will help to more easily treat for head lice, but it can be a traumatic experience, especially for children. Of course this is much more true for girls than boys, but a boy may not like his head shaved either. The better option is to treat the condition, and carefully remove all the nits with a specially designed nit removal comb.

- You can use gasoline or kerosene to kill head lice: CAUTION: This is not only an extremely ineffective means of trying to treat head lice; it also does not work. You should never use gasoline or kerosene on any part of the body as the fumes are combustible and may cause injury or death. Many children have been hurt or killed when parents try to use this form of treatment.

- Lice can transmit disease: Though head lice are an uncomfortable and embarrassing condition, it has few risks. The danger is in a rash or lacerations on the scalp due to scratching that may become infected.

- Clean people do not get head lice: This is completely untrue. Anyone can catch head lice, no matter how clean they are. In fact, head lice prefer a clean, healthy scalp, but it matters little to these tiny insects whose head they infest.

To properly combat head lice, you need to know the facts. Learn as much as you can about head lice infestation and you will be better prepared if one of your children comes home with these little pests.

Head Lice is Epidemic in Some Public Schools

Today the problem of head lice has reach epidemic proportions in some public schools, as well as other group settings, such as childcare centers. Time and again children are sent home with lice. After treatment they are sent back to school only to catch lice again within a month or two.
The head lice epidemic in public schools is truly a nightmare for some parents, especially if their family has a case of persistent head lice. With persistent head lice many treatments don’t seem to work, and even after several treatments the lice and nits are still in the hair.
The best way to tackle the head lice problem is by taking preventative measures. Once your family has head lice, getting rid of it can be very difficult, not to mention a lot of hard work, so it makes sense that taking preventative precautions is one of your best defenses against these parasitic insects.
If you have children that are school age, or in childcare, make sure that they understand first of all, what lice is. Ensure that they understand having lice does not make them bad, or dirty, but that it can be miserable and hard to get rid of.

Let your children know what types of behavior will increase their chances of being exposed to head lice. Ask them not to share coats, hats, brushes or any other personal items at school
Teaching your children not to share personal items will go a long way in helping to prevent a head lice infestation in your family, but it’s not enough. While your children are spending time within group settings, such as school or preschool, you should vigilantly check their hair at least once a week for signs of head lice or nits.
The best way to do this is by using a specially designed comb for removing head lice. Under a bright light, examine your child’s head for any signs of the insects, and also run the comb through their hair to remove any possible freeloading louse.
This may seem to be an extreme inconvenience, but it is nothing compared to the work you will face if your child does bring home head lice. Once your family has head lice you will be faced with treating the hair multiple times, as well as nightly combing to remove nits. Even then you won’t be done; you will have to deal with the monumental task of vacuuming and cleaning every surface in your home, washing endless laundry, and even delousing your car.
By far, the best option is to prevent head lice.

Common Questions About Pediculosis

Pediculosis, also known as headlice, is a very common condition throughout the world. Head lice have been a part of human existence since prehistoric times, and these days it is no different.
Pediculosis can be found in every country, culture, and social class, almost without exception.
Below you will find some of the most commonly asked questions about pediculosis -head lice.

What exactly is pediculosis?
Pediculosis is a condition of infestation by very small insects that can be found on the heads and in the hair. it is not the same as body lice.

Just how common is lice infestation?
Pediculosis is very common; actually, it has been estimated that 1 out of every 10 children will become infested with head lice at some point, while attending school.

Are my children at risk for getting head lice?
Unfortunately, anyone who has close contact with someone who is already infested with head lice can get it. In addition, all you have to do is come in close contact with the belongings of an infested person in order to become infested with this parasite. This includes personal belongings such as coat, scarf, comb, towels, pillows, etc. Children that are preschool, or elementary school age, are the individuals who become infested most often.

I'm not sure of what I am looking for when I examine my child's head. What do head lice look like?
When examining someone's head for a pediculosis infestation, you will be looking for three different types of lice. There are the nits, which are the eggs of the lice, the nymph, which are the babies that have hatched, and finally there is the adult.

Nits: The eggs are often hard to see, but you will find them attached to the hair shaft. They are oval in shape, and usually yellow to white in color. Lice eggs take about one week to hatch after being attached to the hair shaft.
Nymph: These are baby lice, and they will look like a smaller version of the adult. Once the baby lice hatch, they will grow into adults within 7 days.
Adult Lice: The adult lice are approximately the size of a very small seed, and tend to be gray-white or tan in color. The adult females will begin laying eggs on the hair shaft, and with a lifespan of 30 days, the lice will greatly multiply in a short period of time. These insects must feed off of human blood to survive, which leads to the irritating itch experienced by the infested person.

Children and Head Lice

Children are especially susceptible to head lice for a few different reasons. Children tend to have closer physical contact with other children, more so than adults have with each other; in addition, they also have a habit of sharing personal items with each other, such as brushes and hats.
Aside from these reasons, children also congregate in large groups, such as in childcare centers, schools and playgrounds. As a result of these factors, head lice tends to spread more readily among children.
Head lice cannot fly or jump, but they do cling to the hair and other items, attaching themselves to humans as soon as they come in contact. Some of the most common means in which head lice spread, is through personal clothing items, such as hats, shirts, coats, scarves, etc. They may also spread when someone shares items such as brushes and hair accessories.

Another means in which a child can catch head lice is by using pillows, blankets and bed linen that an infested person has used. Couches and chairs are addition culprits in spreading lice. Head lice can live off of the human host for at least three days.
To determine if your child has head lice, you have to use a comb to part the hair and examine the hair shafts and scalp with a magnifying glass while under a bright light.
Head lice move very quickly, sometimes making detection very difficult, because of this you should always look for the little brown or tan lice eggs that will be attached to the shaft of the hair; usually near the scalp.
Examine the scalp closely, as well as the area behind the ears and at the nape of the neck. These areas may contain more lice, than the top of the head.
Though frequently scratching the scalp may be a sign that your child has head lice, itching does not always begin right away. It may take a few weeks before the infestation is bad enough to cause your child’s head to begin itching, depending on how sensitive they are to the lice.
If your child has head lice they may develop small, red bumps on the scalp due to scratching. If the scalp lacerations become infect they may be crusted over or oozing a clear or yellowish liquid. It is a good idea to contact your child’s doctor if it appears that your child has red bumps or sores on the scalp.
Because some of these symptoms of head lice may not be obvious right away, it is important that you examine your child for head lice on a frequent basis, especially during the school year, or if they go to a daycare.

Home Remedy Treatments For Head Lice

Over the past several years there has been some speculation about the toxicity of “over the counter” and prescription head lice treatments. Some doctors believe that too much toxin makes it into the blood stream when using these types of treatments; this is especially true for children, and pregnant women. The level of toxins that could make it into the blood increases with repeated use, which may be necessary in the case of a re-infestation. Another drawback to these “over the counter” and prescription head lice treatments is that the lice are becoming resistant to the pesticides in the treatments. This often results in either the treatment not working at all, or a very quick re-infestation. As a result of the toxins in the treatments, and their increasing inability to kill lice, many people have turned to home remedies. While healthcare professionals have recommended some of these home remedies, others have been used for years as a treatment for head lice. Mayonnaise: Pediatricians often recommend this treatment as an alternative to commercial treatments. Saturate the hair with real mayonnaise, and cover the head with a shower cap. Let the mayonnaise sit in hair for at least eight hours and then wash out. After washing the hair, carefully run a nit comb through the hair to remove lice and nits. The treatment should be repeated every few days for about a week and a half. Listerine: Saturate hair with Listerine and place shower cap on head; leaving it place for at least 2 hours. After this, rinse hair and comb with metal nit removal comb. All lice should be dead at this point. Next you will need to saturate the hair with white vinegar, and again place the washed shower cap on the hair for 1 hour. After 1 hour, you can remove the shower cap to shampoo and condition hair. Again, comb hair with the nit removal comb. Coconut Shampoo & Tea Tree Oil: Use equal amounts of tea tree oil and shampoo. Lather through hair and then use a shower cap. Let the mixture set on the head for at least two hours before rinsing. Apply a coconut conditioner, and carefully comb hair with a metal nit removal comb. Use this treatment at least three times over a two-week period, making sure to comb through the hair each time. Wash all bedding, as well as coats and scarves, and soak combs, brushes, and other hair items in boiling water.

Head Lice and the No Nit School Policy

There are many public schools that have very strict “no nit” policies when it comes to dealing with head lice. Though it may seem extremely unfair that your child is sent home a second time, even after you have treated them for head lice, the policy is aimed an eliminated the spreading of lice to other children. Many school officials, including school nurses may lack the expertise necessary to determine if nits are active or inactive, therefore if they spot nits in a child’s hair they send them home until all the nits have been removed. This is why it is so important that parents use meticulous care during the nit removal phase after head lice treatment. There is some controversy over the “no nit policy” implemented at schools. Excluding children based on nits in the hair that may not even be a live infestation can actually have lasting emotional problems for that child. On the other hand, it is reassuring for the parents of other children, that a child that is infested with head lice won’t be allowed back in school to spread it to others. Despite the fact that there is some opposition to the “no nit school policies” there are some advantages to it. For communities to actively control head lice infestations, there has to be a universal protocol when dealing with it. This is one way to help prevent head lice from becoming epidemic in school or daycare settings. With the “no nit “ head lice policies, those who are responsible for checking to ensure a child is free from head lice will not have to guess if the nits represent a new infestation, they simply don’t allow the child back in school Though it is true that a child who is isolated due to a head lice infestation may have some emotional problems due to the isolation, the problems that may be posed because of ridicule by classmates and friends could be much worse. All this is not to mention that most healthcare specialists believe that the number one cause of a re-infestation is failure to remove nits from the hair. Nit removal is very inconvenient, but necessary. Not only does combing the hair with a nit removal comb ensure that head lice and their eggs are removed, failure to do this can result in having to repeat the treatment several times, multiplying the inconvenience of treating head lice.

Rid Your House of Headlice to Prevent Reoccurring Infestation

Title: Rid Your House of Headlice to Prevent Reoccurring Infestation Word Count: 451 Summary: There are different ways to rid your house of headlice. Keywords: Headlice, lice, nits Article Body: Naturally when you discover that someone in your home has headlice, the first thing you want to do is begin treatment, but it is also important to pay attention to your house as well. When someone in the household becomes infested with headlice, it is not uncommon for the rest of the family to catch it too. Headlice is extremely contagious and when people live in close proximately, these tiny insects readily pass between the house’s inhabitants. For this reason it is extremely important that if one person in the house has headlice, that all family members be closely checked for infestation. There is a high likelihood that most if not all members of the household will have headlice. Even when all the people in the house are treated, the problem doesn’t really end there. You also have to de-louse the house itself, and all personal belongings. Treating a headlice infestation can be a tedious task, but very important if you don’t want to be dealing continually with the problem. The proper way to rid your home of headlice is to first, treat all those who have been infested, after treatment, have each person put on freshly laundered clothing. Buy a new comb to use after treatment; do not use a brush or comb that was being used before treatment. If you do not want to replace all your combs and brushes, it will be necessary to let them set in boiled water for at least an hour. This includes all hair accessories as well. If it is not possible to disinfect them with boiling water, place them in a plastic back, seal it and do not use the items again for at least 2 to 3 weeks. All bedding and clothing must be washed in hot water, and dried on a high heat setting. This will kill any lice that may be clinging to the clothing, or linen. Don’t’ forget about blankets and stuffed animals. Again, if the items cannot be washed, seal them in plastic bags for a few weeks. It will also be necessary to vacuum all carpets, and furniture, as well as mattresses. If you would like to take extra precautionary measures, you can buy insecticide designed specifically for headlice. Spray the furniture and mattresses with the insecticide and let dry before allowing human contact. Though these may seem like extreme measures, keep in mind that it is not uncommon for people to repeatedly become infested with headlice, due to contact after treatment with a live lice in their living environment. There is nothing quite as irritating as treating the whole family, just to find a few weeks later that the headlice infestation has returned.

How to Avoid Getting Head Lice

A head lice infestation is one of the most uncomfortable health conditions to cope with, in addition to this; permanently ridding your house of lice can be an extremely difficult task. For these reasons, it is always best to take precautions against you, or anyone in your household becoming infested. One of the most important steps you can take as a precaution against a head lice infestation is to learn as much as you can about these insects, and how they are spread. It’s important to understand that anyone can catch head lice, no matter what their race or social standing is. Head lice are found in all countries, cultures, and social classes. Head lice do not discriminate when it comes to whose head they choose to take up residence on. People with good hygiene can be infested just as fast as someone with bad hygiene. Once this concept is understood, you can then tackle the preventative measures that will need to be taken to ensure that you avoid a head lice infestation. If you have school aged children, it is essential that you examine their head on a regular basis for signs of head lice. It is this age group that is most often infested, especially girls, as they like to share hair accessories and hats. If you are checking your child’s head on a regular basis, you will likely catch it before it becomes very bad. The sooner you catch a head lice infestation, the easier it will be to get rid of. Talk to your children about not sharing personal items with other children at school, such as hats, scarves, combs, etc. This is very important, as this is usually how head lice spreads. If you become aware that someone you, or your children has frequent contact with has become infested with head lice, immediately check everyone’s hair in the house. Head lice spreads very quickly, and you may become infested before you even know someone near you has it. Even if you find nothing during the examination, continue checking on a daily basis for quite some time, as it may take a little while before you can detect them. In addition, even if the infected person close to you treats the head lice infestation, they could very easily become re-infested. The most important thing to remember about avoiding a head lice infestation is to be diligent, especially when there are children in the house.