Did the title make your head itch? The mere suggestion of head lice strikes fear in many parents and teachers. It’s common to hear about an uptick in head lice at the start of a new school year. Prevention and treatment myths abound, so let’s review the basics and debunk some of the most common ones.
Basics
Head lice (pediculus humanus capitis) are tiny, wingless insects that live on and infest hair and scalps. Their life cycle is about 28 days and consists of three stages: nit (eggs), nymph (young) and adult. An adult louse is tiny, approximately the size of a sesame seed. The nits are even smaller and look like tiny flakes of dandruff, but they aren’t easy to remove.
Once a head louse takes up residence in your hair, it bites your scalp to feed. An allergic reaction to those bites causes the itching associated with lice infestation. Females lay eggs about a quarter of an inch down the hair shaft, producing a sticky substance that cements the egg in place.
Five Common Myths
Myth: Lice only infest people with poor hygiene.
Fact: Head lice don’t discriminate. They love human scalps.
Myth: Head lice jump and fly from head to head.
Fact: Head lice can only crawl. They do not have the ability to fly or jump.
Myth: You can get lice from your pets.
Fact: The human head louse only lives on humans. It cannot survive on other parts of your body. You cannot get them from pets, rodents or other animals.
Myth: Head lice carry and transmit disease.
Fact: Head lice do not transmit any known viruses or bacteria. They’re certainly a nuisance, but they won’t cause any more serious infections.
Myth: Lice live a long time on bedding, clothing and other surfaces.
Fact: Lice only survive for about 24 hours once removed from your scalp.
Treating
Once you’ve determined your child has head lice, it’s time for treatment. You’ll need to treat both your child and his belongings, which is labor-intensive. The primary treatment methods involve both manual removal (combing) and medication use. You should call your pediatrician’s office before starting any medication and use all medications exactly as directed by the product packaging. Since most over-the-counter medications only kill adult lice, you may have to repeat the treatment in seven to 10 days, after any remaining eggs hatch.
Around the house, heat exposure is the best way to kill lice, as they are very sensitive to temperature fluctuations. All clothing, bedding, stuffed animals and other washable soft surfaces that came into contact with your child’s head should be washed and dried at high heat settings. If you have belongings that cannot tolerate that type of laundering, you can seal them in a plastic bag and leave them there for two weeks. That’s more than enough time to ensure all live lice and nits die.
If you get a call from the school nurse, don’t panic. Head lice can be safely treated and removed at home. Call your doctor’s office to receive personalized treatment instructions, take a deep breath and get to it. Those lice will be dead and gone in no time!
References
- CDC: “Head Lice”
- HealthyChildren.org: “Head Lice: What Parents Need to Know”
Joleen Sams lives with her family in Shawnee. She’s a family nurse practitioner who has always loved taking care of kids and their families.
As always, please consult your health care provider with any questions or concerns.