Head Lice And Diagnosing The Problem
What people commonly refer to as lice, is actually a group of small insects called a louse. It lives human beings, usually on the scalp. It feeds off of blood. Every year there are millions of Americans dealing with the issue of head lice or body lice. Most of these are usually children, as they are most susceptible. A school setting promotes the spread od lice since there are many children in close proximity.
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.
This can stop kids from spreading lice, but occasionally they are not exposed for an extended period of time. In this case the youngster could have spread them. It's imperative to test your own child frequently, particularly if they are between four and twelve years old.
If your child is doing a lot of head and scalp scratching, it might be a sign of head lice. If your child does have lice, you'll have to clean all bed clothes and towels frequently. Don't send your child back to school until you're sure all the nits are gone because lice are easily transferred to others. Keeping your child's hair in a shorter style makes it easier to check the scalp and may help prevent the problem.
Several options for treatment are now available for removing a lice infestation. If you or your child runs into that problem, you can choose from natural products and hot hair to silicone based lotions currently on the market. Remember though, no one treatment method is always effective to finish the job completely. Prevent a reoccurrence by keeping a close eye on the situation.
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. Most schools in the United States have a no nit policy which means that children with lice are dismissed from class until the problem is dealt with and all lice have been removed.
Published February 16th, 2008
