Head Lice and how to deal with them
I decided to add this one blog onto the food storage blog because of the importance of it, and we all know knowledge if power and because school is starting soon and this is the time we start and hearing about it.
These are things that do come about more so when poverty is high. This is not saying that it’s caused by poverty because it can be found in all homes despite the economic status and despite what we may think cleanliness, has nothing to do with it either. However knowing what you’re dealing with, and knowing the first signs can save a lot of trouble and treating it right away help keep it from reaching epidemic levels.
The subject of Head Lice
Like I mentioned before Head lice don’t care how much money you do or don’t have, if you just happen to be in a place where they’re at, you’re probably going to get them. Doesn’t matter if you shower everyday and wash your hair or blow dry it they will make a nice nest in your head or someone else’s if they were in the wrong place at the wrong time when the lice was looking for a host.
First off let’s get rid of the myths told about head lice.
1. TRUE OR FALSE:
Head lice are so small you can't see them with the naked eye.
FALSE: Head Lice are the size of sesame seeds. They may be difficult to see with
the naked eye, but not impossible. They are best viewed in natural light with a
magnifying glass?
2. TRUE OR FALSE:
You're more likely to get head lice if you have poor personal hygiene.
FALSE: Head lice are equal-opportunity parasites; they live exclusively on human
blood. It doesn't matter how often you wash your hair. It doesn't matter if you
have dandruff. They are attracted to blood, not poor hygiene.
3. TRUE OR FALSE:
Your child is more likely to get head lice than you are?
TRUE: Children are more inclined to get lice because they engage in frequent
head-to-head contact -- over secrets, games, sports -- and close contact is the
primary way lice move from person to person. And though lots of parents are
alarmed when their child comes home with lice, there's simply no way to prevent
kids from getting lice and, as disgusting as they may be, they're not a medical
problem -- just a nasty nuisance!
4. TRUE OR FALSE:
Head lice can jump from person to person?
FALSE: Head lice can't jump or fly, they can only crawl. And because head lice
thrive solely on human blood, they move only from person to person, never from
another animal such as a dog or cat. The most common way for head lice to get
from one person to another is via head-to-head contact. They can also move
around via shared hats, combs, and bedding, but because they die within a day or
two without human contact, this path of transmission is much less likely.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:
It's important that you treat head lice quickly, as they spread disease?
FALSE: Head lice don't transmit infections, lead to scabies, or make children sick. In fact, they rarely, if ever, cause any harm -- just a lot of annoyance. Experts
suggest that the greatest harm associated with head lice comes in the well-meaning but misguided use (and overuse) of toxic treatments to eradicate them.
6. TRUE OR FALSE:
To successfully treat head lice, you need to see a doctor?
FALSE: Head lice can be successfully treated at home with over-the-counter lice killing shampoo and diligent combing. If you are unsure whether your child has
head lice, confirm it with your child’s pediatrician or with a school nurse. Once
you're sure you're dealing with live head lice, over-the-counter (OTC) remedies
like anti-lice shampoos generally work, but nothing is 100% effective. You must
apply two applications of medicated shampoo, the second one seven to 10 days
after the first. In between, comb hair daily with a special nit comb.
Combing is the most important weapon you have to get rid of head lice.
7. TRUE OR FALSE:
You can use vinegar or mayonnaise as home remedies for treating head lice.
Many people have reported this works better then the store bought shampoos for lice although there's no scientific proof ever presented publicly, that home remedies such as mayonnaise, white vinegar, or tea tree oil work in getting rid of lice, but many parents say it worked for them.
Advocates say that mayonnaise -- applied thickly and then kept on
overnight under a shower cap -- smothers the lice, while vinegar destroys the
glue that attaches nits to the hair.
Pediatrician Steven Parker, MD, a WebMD consultant, says that as long as there's no risk involved in the assorted home remedies touted as head lice cures, there's no harm in giving them a try. In fact there are more risks involved using the chemicals then the home remedies
8. TRUE OR FALSE:
You must get rid of every last head louse, or another infestation will occur.
FALSE: Head lice and eggs in bedding, on towels, and around the house, usually
die within days without a human host. So while you don't have to worry about
getting all the nits and adult lice from every crevice in the house, you do want to
launder everything you can that has come in close contact with someone with
lice: Bedding, hats, and towels. You'll also want to vacuum spots where an
infested person usually sits or lays. Don’t forget the car seats and cars.
Personally I would never again treat my children with the over the counter medicine for the treatment of head lice. Besides it being so expensive, the chemicals used if left on too long can (and has done in too many cases) cause BRAIN DAMAGE to children and anyone using these products! There are other effective ways of treating lice.
The eggs hatch so often and many times the dangerous medicine doesn’t even kill the eggs all the way so it is necessary to be on it and keep a watchful eye out for eggs hatching every few days. Most of all try to get rid of all the eggs. They do lay their eggs so close to the scalp that sometimes its so hard to even se them unless the hair grows out a few days later. So even cutting the hair very short does not always take care of the problem- it may reduce it dramatically but because they lay the eggs so close to the scalp they can come back if the eggs are allowed to hatch. So you have to keep on the eggs and not allow a single one to hatch..
What are the signs and symptoms of head lice infestation?
The signs and symptoms are
• A tickling feeling of something moving in the hair;
• Itching (caused by the an allergic reaction to the bites);
• Sores on the head (caused by scratching);
• These sores on the head can sometimes become infected;
Detection
Head lice can be detected by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs, or adults. Locating a nymph or adult may be difficult; there are usually only a few of them, and they can move quickly from searching fingers. However, the presence of nits close to the scalp confirms that a person is infested. If the nits are located more than 1/4 inch from the scalp, the infestation is probably an old one. If you are not sure whether or not a person has head lice, the diagnosis should be made by a health-care provider, school nurse, or a professional from the local health department or agricultural extension service. The nits of head lice are easily visible with a microscope. Using a flashlight may help to se ethe louse and eggs hidden in the hair.
Natural remedies for getting rid of Head Lice:
*Mayonnaise--completely saturate your child's [dry] hair with any full fat mayo. Cover with a regular plastic beauty cap such as you would find at a beauty shop OR use one of the larger Plastic bowl covers with the elastic [Saran Quick Covers] and leave to sit for 2-3 hours.
Wash the mayo out by using Dawn dish washing liquid [you may have to wash hair 3 or 4 times, but it's worth it.]. The oil from the mayo also helps make nit removal very easy comparatively. This worked much better than Clear Nit Remover.
Wash out the mayonnaise hair (and make sure it’s tightly wrapped with Saran wrap/Plastic wrap, I'd recommend sleeping on it). This suffocates the lice and kills them. Then, wash with vinegar. It helps the mayonnaise come out better AND it aids in killing lice eggs because of its PH. :) This worked on a cabin of 12 kids at a summer camp, who all passed it on to each other.
*Non-alcohol hair gel worked great also, saturate the hair (dry) with gel, put a shower cap on it, sleep on it and wash out it the a.m., then remove the nits. The gel suffocates the live lice.
If you so choose to use (OTC) Over the counter treatment or prescription medications to treat the affected people and their families.
Follow these treatment steps:
Remember NEVER LEAVE ON LONGER THEN DIRECTIONS SAY IN SOME CASES SEVERE BRAIN DAMAGE CAN OCCUR!
1. Remove all clothing.
2. Apply lice medicine, also called pediculicide, according to the label instructions. If your child has extra long hair, you may need to use a second bottle. WARNING: Do not use a cream rinse or combination shampoo/conditioner before using lice medicine. Do not re-wash hair for one to two days after treatment.
3. Have the infested person put on clean clothing after treatment.
4. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment but are moving more slowly than before, do not retreat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair. The medicine sometimes takes longer to kill the lice.
5. If, eight to 12 hours after treatment, no dead lice are found and lice seem as active as before, the medicine may not be working. See your health-care provider for a different medication and follow their treatment instructions.
6. Nit (head lice egg) combs, often found in lice medicine packages should be used to remove nits and lice from the hair shaft. Many flea combs made for cats and dogs are also effective.
7. After the initial treatment, check, comb, and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days.
8. Re-treat in seven to 10 days.
9. Check all treated people for two to three weeks until you are sure all lice and nits are gone.
Treating the house:
Treating the whole house is a laborious but important task. Follow these steps:
1. Machine wash all washable clothing and bed linens that the infested person touched during the two days before treatment (to kill the lice and nits). Use the hot water cycle (130 degrees F; 55 degrees C) to wash clothes. Dry laundry using the hot cycle for at least 20 minutes.
2. Dry clean clothing that is not washable (coats, hats, scarves, etc.), or store all clothing, stuffed animals, comforters, etc., that cannot be washed or dry cleaned into a plastic bag and seal it for two weeks.
3. Soak combs and brushes for one hour in rubbing alcohol, Lysol, or wash with soap and hot (130 degrees F; 55 degrees C) water and then place in bag and leave in freezer for two days.
4. Vacuum the floor and furniture. Do not use fumigant sprays. (They can be toxic if inhaled.)
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Make sure to tell children never exchange hat’s, sweaters, or jackets either; this is another way of passing them along to another person.
