Head lice and how to deal with them

How to deal with Head lice.

The phrase that causes dread when a child is picked up from school “There has been a case of head lice reported in your child’s class”.

Head lice are tiny, wingless parasitic insects that live in the hair. They feed on small amounts of blood drawn from the scalp. Lice are a common problem, especially for our children. They contagious, annoying, and can sometimes tough to get rid of.

But while they can be a pain to deal with, lice are not dangerous. Head lice do not spread diseases. Their bites can make a child’s head itchy and irritated, and scratching can lead to infection.

Be sure to treat head lice quickly once they’re discovered, because they easily spread from person to person.

If this happens to you here are the steps you can take to deal with it;

Firstly it’s important to know that Head lice do not require a visit to your GP, it can be treated at home.

There is also no need to keep your child off school with head lice.

Check your child’s hair regularly, if you find lice or live eggs, please ensure that
you treat your child and the whole family.

Wet combing hair

• Wet hair with water and· then apply conditioner.
• Using hair grips, separate the hair into sections.
• Using either a plastic comb nitty-gritty comb, thoroughly comb through each
  section of hair.
• Rinse out the conditioner and repeat the combing procedure in the wet hair.
• Repeat the procedure on day five, nine and thirteen in order to clear all the young lice as they hatch, and before they have time to reach maturity.

Medicated lotion or spray, are available on prescription or to buy over the counter.

Medicated lotion or spray is an alternative method for treating head lice. However, no medicated treatment is 100% effective. Your pharmacist will be able to recommend an over-the-counter lotion or spray.

• Follow the instructions that come with the medicated lotion or spray when applying it. Depending on the product you are using, the length of time that it needs to be left on the head can vary from 10 minutes to 8 hours
• The normal advice is to trm· f once, then repeat after seven days. Some medicated products also supply a comb for removing dead lice and eggs traditional insecticides must not be used more than once a week for three weeks in a row.
• Some products carry a fire warning.
• A minimum of two applications of the lotion is needed to kill the lice over the hatching period ( 7 to 10 days) because the lotions do not always kill louse eggs.

Always seek advice from a healthcare professional before using medicated head lice lotions on the following groups:

• Young babies (under six months old)
• Pregnant women
• People with asthma or allergies

Always read the pack to see if they’re okay for use for you or your child and how to use them.