LICE DETECTION
- STEP ONE - Detection Of Head Lice
- STEP TWO - Elimination Of Head Lice
- STEP THREE - Prevention Of Head Lice
What Are Head Lice?
Head lice are small, reddish-brown insects that live and feed on the human scalp. They are wingless insects with claw-like legs that attach themselves and their eggs to shafts of hair. Unlike fleas, lice can’t hop or jump from one surface to another. Lice and their eggs (called nits) may be moved from one person to another on combs and brushes, coats and hats, pillows and furniture, or during personal contact when children are playing. Head lice do not live on animals – only people.
Detecting head lice - WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR?
The most common symptom of lice is itching. As with mosquitoes, itching is the body’s reaction to the insect’s bite. Check for lice if your child is scratching often, especially at the nape of the neck and behind the ears. Lice and nits are hard to see. Lice are only 1/8 of an inch in size – about the size of a sesame seed.
Examine your child’s scalp and hair in a well-lit area – a magnifying glass is helpful. Because lice are so hard to see, it may be easier to look for their nits. Nits are small, shiny eggs that are attached to individual hairs near the scalp. Although they are most often whitish in color, they can vary from almost clear to yellowish brown.
HOW DID MY CHILD GET LICE?
Contrary to popular belief, lice actually prefer to live on clean heads. They’re spread from person to person on shared combs, brushes, hats and other personal items that touch the head. Simply put, infestation can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time.
When a head lice infestation is confirmed, a school note is given to children to alert their parents. Children who have head lice are usually excused from the school until the infestation is gone.