How to Prevent and Control the Spread of Head Lice
With extensive close contact in schools and playgrounds among children and their personal belongings, it's very easy for the head lice to spread and multiply. In majority of cases, the most common problem reported among children, after the common cold, is head lice infestations. These can be highly contagious; therefore it is of utmost importance to be vigilant of these notorious pests. The chief reason for a lice outbreak is head-to-head contact. Since lice do not fly or jump, they spread by crawling when heads come in contact or by nits that are attached to shed hairs and clothes.
Prevention and Control Methods
It is said that prevention is better than cure. Here are a few steps you can take to ensure that your child is safe from head lice infestations.
Teach your child to avoid any head to head contact with other children during school hours and as well as during play time. Especially, make them aware of the infestations that they could pick up while at slumber parties, playgrounds and at camps.
Don't let your children share hair accessories like hats, scarves or ribbons and also ask them to avoid piling up their coats and uniforms in a heap.
Avoid sharing combs and towels and make sure to regularly disinfect and clean them.
Also avoid sharing bed and couch pillows and stuffed toys from other children. Make your children aware that they should avoid lying down on carpets and beds of other children in order to prevent infestations.
Always make sure to wash and dry any item of clothing or linens if they have been used by an infested person. Seal the cleaned cloth in a plastic bag and use only after 2 weeks. This will ensure that all live nits and lice have died as lice cannot survive without feeding off a human for more than 2 days. Also, ensure to vacuum the floor, carpets and furniture along with cleaning the linen. This will help in cleaning out any lice or nits that may have shed or crawled out.
In order to control lice spread, keep a regular check on your child's head and look for any new infestations by running a lice comb through the hair after each shower. Check-up assistance can also be availed at the nearby clinics and medical camps.
Detection and Diagnosis of Lice
Head lice and eggs are found almost exclusively on human head hair and the scalp, frequently around and behind the ears and near the neckline at the back of the head. Misdiagnosis of head lice is common.
The best way to confirm an active case of head lice is by finding a live nymph or adult louse on the scalp or hair. Adult and nymphal lice are very small, move quickly, and avoid light, so they may be difficult to find. Using a fine toothed louse comb helps in correctly diagnosing head lice.
Prevention and Control Methods
It is said that prevention is better than cure. Here are a few steps you can take to ensure that your child is safe from head lice infestations.
Teach your child to avoid any head to head contact with other children during school hours and as well as during play time. Especially, make them aware of the infestations that they could pick up while at slumber parties, playgrounds and at camps.
Don't let your children share hair accessories like hats, scarves or ribbons and also ask them to avoid piling up their coats and uniforms in a heap.
Avoid sharing combs and towels and make sure to regularly disinfect and clean them.
Also avoid sharing bed and couch pillows and stuffed toys from other children. Make your children aware that they should avoid lying down on carpets and beds of other children in order to prevent infestations.
Always make sure to wash and dry any item of clothing or linens if they have been used by an infested person. Seal the cleaned cloth in a plastic bag and use only after 2 weeks. This will ensure that all live nits and lice have died as lice cannot survive without feeding off a human for more than 2 days. Also, ensure to vacuum the floor, carpets and furniture along with cleaning the linen. This will help in cleaning out any lice or nits that may have shed or crawled out.
In order to control lice spread, keep a regular check on your child's head and look for any new infestations by running a lice comb through the hair after each shower. Check-up assistance can also be availed at the nearby clinics and medical camps.
Detection and Diagnosis of Lice
Head lice and eggs are found almost exclusively on human head hair and the scalp, frequently around and behind the ears and near the neckline at the back of the head. Misdiagnosis of head lice is common.
The best way to confirm an active case of head lice is by finding a live nymph or adult louse on the scalp or hair. Adult and nymphal lice are very small, move quickly, and avoid light, so they may be difficult to find. Using a fine toothed louse comb helps in correctly diagnosing head lice.
Source...