Head Lice - Eradication And Elimination
What people commonly refer to as lice, is actually a group of small insects called a louse. It lives human beings, usually on the scalp. It feeds off of blood. Every year there are millions of Americans dealing with the issue of head lice or body lice. Most of these are usually children, as they are most susceptible. A school setting promotes the spread od lice since there are many children in close proximity.
Head lice is fairly simple to diagnosis. When examining the head you will be looking for evidence of bites or white eggs on the hair shaft. You may also come the suspected person's hair and then closely look at the comb. If the person is infected there will be lice visible on the comb.
If you are a parent, be sure to check your child for head lice regularly. Most schools in America have a no lice policy. This means that your child will be sent home if head lice are discovered. They will not be able to return until they have been treated and are lice free.
This can stop lice from being passed between children, yet frequently lice are not discovered until they have been transmitted from one child to another. It is therefore very important to inspect your child's hair on a regular basis, particularly if they are aged between four and twelve.
To prevent nits, it can also be beneficial for your children to have short hair. If you know your child is infested with lice is important to wash all bed clothes and towels regularly and not to send your child to school; where he or she might contaminate others. The most obvious and immediate sign that your child has nits, is if your child is scratching their head or scalp constantly.
Luckily there are several viable options for treating lice in children and adults. There are silicone-based lotions and herbal lotions. The application of heat will also work. While any of these methods will work, they are not one hundred percent successful on the first application of treatment. That is why following the full course of treatment is very important in order to prevent relapses.
Between six and twelve million people in the U.S. alone struggle with infestations of head lice and body lice each year. Lice date back to ancient times, and they have lived as parasites on our bodies and scalps ever since. An adult louse has no wings, so when he finds a head to live on, he's there to stay. His only food is human blood. Most schools in the United States have a no nit policy which means that children with lice are dismissed from class until the problem is dealt with and all lice have been removed.
Published February 16th, 2008