Keeping ahead of lice

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 525, 1 March 1994, Page 9

Keeping ahead of lice

Head lice is a problem that affects nearly all New Zealand school children at some time, but many may be going untreated. The start of a new school term is often the time when head lice appear and there is concern that some parents are not treating their children. People are sometimes afraid to admit that their child has head lice because of the old myths associating head lice with poor personal hygiene. That is nonsense. Head lice prefer clean scalps and short straight hair - this makes it a lot easier for them to move around and to feed off the scalp. Head lice are small flat insects about two to three mm long that breed all year round. They li ve on the human scalp, feeding on blood about five or six times a day. Contrary to popular belief, head lice cannot jump, fly or swim. They swing from hair to hair - a bit like Tarzan. Sometimes they swing from a hair on one head to a hair on another head when the heads are close together - and that' s ho w they are passed from child to child. Lice can live underwater on the head and will not leave a person' s head when they are swimming. A person with head lice will scratch their head a lot - usually around the back of the scalp and neck and behind the ears, especially on the hairline. Scratch marks or a rash can be a sign that your child has head lice but some children do not complain of itchiness. Because lice are tiny and dark they are difficult to find on the scalp, so it's easier to look for the eggs and nits (empty egg cases). It is recomihended to look all over the scalp for insects and eggs. It is best to wet the hair first and, using a fme-tooth comb, search for white specks - these are either nits (empty egg cases) or eggs - stuck firmly to the base of a hair. Hair grows about 1 cm each month so specks found more than 1 cm from the scalps are empty egg cases and are dead. A variety of treatments are available as shampoos, lotions or creme rinses. Pharmacists can advise on the best treatment for you. It is also important to use the treatment

properly . Most need to be left on the hair for 10 minutes and they should be rubbed into the scalp rather than the hair. It's important also to use the correct amount of the product and to realise that the shampoos don't remove dead eggs. These need to be combed out with a special fine-toothed comb. Sometimes children who have an infection on their heads where they have scratched too hard or with dirty finger nails are referred to a doctor for treatment. Pharmacists are often asked by parents how to prevent head lice in their children. Although it is difficult to stop the spread from one child to another a three-point plan is recommended: □ Brush hair thoroughly every day - not just combing and not just once or twice for good looks (brushing can kill or injure lice and stop them laying eggs). Everyone in the family should have their own brush and comb and not share. □ Check children' s hair once a week for lice. Early detection and early treatment will stop the spread to other members of the family. Using head lice shampoos, creams or sprays to prevent head lice does not usually work. □ If your child has head lice, tell friends, teachers and other contacts of your child so they can check for head lice and treat if necessary. V