The head louse is a tiny, wingless parasitic insect that lives among human hairs and eats small amounts of blood drawn from the scalp. Lice (the plural of louse) are an extremely common issue, specifically for kids. They're infectious, irritating, and sometimes hard to eliminate.
While they're annoying to deal with, lice aren't harmful. They don't spread out illness, although their bites can make a child's scalp itchy and inflamed, and scratching can result in infection.
It's best to treat head lice rapidly when they're found because they can spread out quickly from person to person.
Signs of Head Lice
They're extremely small, lice can be seen by the naked eye. Here are things to look for:
Lice eggs (called nits). Lice lay nits on hair shafts close to the scalp, where the temperature is perfect for keeping warm till they hatch.
Unless the invasion is heavy, it's more common to see nits in a kid's hair than it is to see live lice crawling on the scalp. Lice eggs hatch within 1 to 2 weeks after they're laid. After hatching, the staying shell looks white or clear and stays firmly connected to the hair shaft. This is when it's simplest to spot them, as the hair is growing longer and the egg shell is moving far from the scalp.
Adult lice and nymphs (child lice). If head lice is not dealt with, this process repeats itself about every 3 weeks.
Scratching. With lice bites come itching and scratching. This is actually due to a response to the saliva of lice. However, the itching may not constantly start right now-- that depends upon how sensitive a child's skin is to the lice. It can often take weeks for kids with lice to begin scratching. They may grumble, however, of things moving around on or tickling their heads.
For some kids, the irritation is mild; for others, a more annoying rash may establish. If your physician thinks this is the case, he or she might treat the infection with an oral antibiotic.
You might be able to see the lice or nits by parting your child's hair into little sections and looking for lice and nits with a fine-tooth comb on the scalp, behind the ears, and around the nape of the neck (it's uncommon for them to be discovered on eyelashes or eyebrows).
A magnifying glass and bright light might help. It can be hard to discover a nymph or adult louse-- often, there aren't numerous of them and they move fast.
See your medical professional if your child is constantly scratching his/her head or complains of a scratchy scalp that won't disappear. The physician should have the ability to tell you if your kid is infested with lice and requires to be treated. Not all kids have the timeless symptoms of head lice and some can be symptom-free.
Also make certain to check with your child's school nurse or child care center director to see if other kids have recently been dealt with for lice. If you discover that your child does, undoubtedly, have lice or nits, contact the staff at the school and child care center to let them know. Discover what their return policy is. A lot of generally allow kids to return after one topical treatment has been finished.
Are Lice Contagious?
Lice are highly infectious and can spread out rapidly from person to person, specifically in group settings (like schools, child care www.liceremovallosangelescare.com centers, slumber parties, sports activities, and camps).
Though they can't fly or jump, these tiny parasites have specifically adapted claws that let them crawl and cling securely to hair. They spread mainly through head-to-head contact, but sharing clothes, bed linens, combs, brushes, and hats also can pass them along. Kids are most susceptible to catching lice because they tend to have close physical contact with each other and share individual items.
And you may question if Fido or Fluffy may be capturing the pests and passing them on to your household. But rest assured that family pets can't catch head lice and pass them on to individuals or the other way around.
Treatment
Your physician can recommend a medicated shampoo, cream rinse, or lotion to kill the lice. These may be over the counter (OTC) or prescription medications, depending on what treatments have already been tried. Medicated lice treatments typically eliminate the lice, but it might take a couple of days for the itching to stop. For extremely resistant lice, an oral medication (medicine taken by mouth) might be recommended.
Ensure that the medicine is safe for your kid's age. While non-prescription hair shampoos are safe for kids as young as 2 months, other medications are only safe for kids 2 years and older. It's important to follow the instructions exactly since these items are insecticides. Applying too much medication-- or utilizing it frequently-- can increase the risk of damage. Follow the instructions on the product label.
Treatment may be unsuccessful if the medication is not utilized correctly or if the lice are resistant to it. After treatment, your physician may recommend combing the nits with a fine-tooth comb and also may suggest duplicating treatment in 7 to 10 days to kill any freshly hatched nits.
Removing By Hand
If your kid is 2 months old or younger, you should not use medicated lice treatments. You'll need to get rid of the nits and lice by hand.
To eliminate lice and nits by hand, utilize a fine-tooth comb on your kid's wet, conditioned hair every 3 to 4 days for 3 weeks after the last live louse was seen. Moistening the hair ahead of time is recommended since it momentarily immobilizes the lice and the conditioner makes it simpler to get a comb through the hair.
There's no requirement to buy electronic combs that claim to eliminate lice or make nits much easier to eliminate. No research studies have been done to back up these claims. You also do not need to purchase special vinegar services to apply to the scalp prior to selecting nits. Excellent old-fashioned water works just fine.
Wet combing is likewise an option to pesticide treatments in older kids. Petroleum jelly, mayo, or olive oil are often used in an attempt to suffocate head lice, these treatments may not work. If medication doesn't work and you want to try these techniques, talk to your physician.
Make certain you remove nits carefully weekly for at least 3 weeks in a row, and enjoy your kid carefully to see if any live lice return.
For more information, contact:
Lice Removal Los Angeles Care
777 S Alameda St #29
Los Angeles, CA 90021
310-935-1644