Let’s just admit it, at least once in our school life, we got head lice or a close childhood friend got them. We took proper precautions because as a kid in school you can basically assume head lice = cooties, and though it went away after a while, head lice stigma and trauma, like bet-wetting, perpetuates and haunts us even into adulthood. So, if your child has head lice in their hair – don’t worry, as it is curable!
Keep reading to find out more information about this ridiculous plague called ‘head lice’, how to avoid it and how to make it go away!
Symptoms That Your Child May Have Head Lice
A few symptoms that indicate your child has head lice are:
- A sensation or feeling that something is moving in the hair
- Scratching the head always ends up leaving sores on the scalp
- Irritability
- The person infected will have trouble sleeping in the dark as lice tend to be more active in the dark.
- Head feeling ticklish
- Constant itching of the head ( especially at the back of the ears and head )
Steps To Look For Head Lice
Here are a few steps to look for lice on the head:
- Check The Scalp Of Your Child
First, part your child’s hair in various places, then pay special attention to the scalp at the nape of the neck and behind the ears. You may be able to notice rashes in these areas as your child may have been scratching these areas due to itching.
- Look Out For Movement In The Hair
You will likely not be able to see the lice on their own as they are easily blended in the hair. Also, they are very small in size, move very swiftly and avoid light, so it becomes very difficult to spot them.
- Search For Nits (Lice Eggs)
They are tiny and yellowish or whitish in color. They are in the form of a tear-drop shape, sac-like structure and are attached to the hair near the scalp.
One tip, though: they are easier felt than seen, so try to search for them with your fingers; they feel like grains of sand.
You might be wondering – what does lice look like vs dandruff?
It might be challenging to tell nits apart from dandruff or product particles in the hair. The distinction is that whereas dandruff and other flakes are simple to remove off the hair shaft, nits adhere to the hair like glue.
- Make Sure That The Nits Are Alive
If the nits that you find are more than a quarter length away from the scalp, then your child will no longer be a threat infestation from them.
The nits actually only hatch from the warmth that they get right next to the scalp. After hatching, the empty egg remains attached to the hair and grows farther and farther away from the scalp.
Only live nits and active lice on the head are proof of manifestation.
How To Absolutely Know That Your Child Is Infested With Lice
You can definitely follow the steps given below if you want to be sure whether your child’s head has an infestation or not. Many studies have found that using a louse comb to get rid of lice is the best and most effective way.
The steps are:
- First, wash your hair’s child with water completely
- Then in the next step, apply lots of conditioner to your child’s hair
- After that, comb your child’s head into sections (from roots towards the ends) with a comb specifically narrow-toothed (lice comb).
If there are lice on the comb, then you would definitely get to see them crawling on the comb.
- Next, you can shake the comb into a clear bowl after every comb (at your child’s hair).
After doing all these, if you come to the conclusion that your child actually has lice, then the next step is checking every member of your family’s hair (including yours) to check for lice.
Because these things transfer from hair to hair, when an infected person comes into contact with another person, if you follow all these steps and still you are unsure, then it’s best you take your child to the lice salon to get it checked.
Tip: how often should you wash your hair woman – Women are prone to lice, too, not just school-going children. Also, different hair types call for different hair care practices. But in general – hair should be washed at least three times a week.
Ways To Really Get Rid Of Lice From Hair
Here are a few other methods how you can get rid of lice on hair:
- Lice-Killing Shampoo
The active ingredient in Rid and comparable over-the-counter medications, pyrethrum, is derived from chrysanthemum flowers, which also contain pyrethrins, which are organic pesticides.
Apply to clean, dry hair that hasn’t been treated with any treatments, wait 10 minutes, then lather with water and rinse. For nits, comb. It is recommended to apply again after a week to eradicate any lice that may have survived.
Do be on the watch for allergic reactions in your youngster, though.
- Olive-Oil
Because lice can survive for hours without breathing, this home cure must be used overnight under a shower cap in order to suffocate and kill lice.
Nits will definitely need to be eradicated from your child’s hair by the use of a lice comb later, but the olive oil should help them break free from hair shafts, and in turn, it will be easy to get a sight of them.
Wrapping Things Up
I hope the above-listed methods will surely help you in identifying if your child has head lice in their hair and also how to treat it. Head lice don’t have to be “gross” it’s just a thing that happens. Be sure to keep your pillowcases, combs, hats, and brushes away from the majority of the other kids, and you should be safe.
Thank you for reading up till here! I hope you found the information useful. Let me know in the comments your thoughts on identifying head lice and treatments you have found to be effective.
AUTHOR BIO
Miranda Shaffer is a passionate blogger. She loves to share her thoughts, ideas, and experiences with the world through blogging. Miranda Shaffer is associated with The Global Magazine, 7 Best Things, Lawyers Inventory, Lawyers Note, Idream Agency, Okey Magazine, Small Business Journals, Money Outlined, Top Preference, Big Jar News, Get Me Seen, Global Business Diary, Universal Australia, Uae Universe.
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