Every year there seems to be a lice outbreak at the school or the daycare. While it is important to teach head lice prevention, once your child has the little bugs, prevention goes on the back burner for a while. If your child gets lice please do not associate it with being dirty because even the cleanest of kids can get head lice.
The treatments that you can buy at the stores do work but they are very expensive and they are full of poisons. Some lice killing products are actually made with the very same poison that has been banned for use on crops and they are also flammable. Literally, it is like spraying bug spray on your child's head. There are natural ways to kill and prevent lice from infesting your child's head.
Did you know that a cure for lice could be right inside of your pantry? Yes, it's true. Real mayonnaise, NOT Miracle Whip could be the answer your looking for! Make sure it is not cold, get a new jar and scoop out a handful and apply it all over the head paying special attention to the nape of the neck and behind the ears. Once the head is coated in the mayonnaise, place a shower cap or something over the head because as it gets warm it tends to be a bit messy. Leave it on for a couple of hours and it will smother and kill the lice and their eggs. Take the shower cap off and make sure that you throw it away and then wash the hair really good. You may have to wash the hair more than once to get it really clean.
Out of mayonnaise? Try vaseline instead. Apply the vaseline the same way that you would have applied the mayonnaise. You can leave this mixture on overnight if you want to. It won't be nearly as messy as mayonnaise. When it is time to wash it out there is only one thing that removes vaseline from hair and that's baby oil. Saturate the hair with the baby oil and really run it through completely. Squeeze out as much of the oil as possible and then wash the hair with a good grease resistant dish soap like Dawn and the hottest water that can be tolerated. Let the dish soap sit for a few minutes before rinsing and you may have to do this more than once to get the vaseline and oils out.
There are many more natural remedies available to you to treat and prevent head lice. There is no reason you should ever, ever have to place on toxic product on your head or that of your child. As with everything else, there is a natural health remedy that you can turn to.
Head lice, a rather common problem of school-aged children, are easy to prevent, but difficult to treat. Children between the ages of three and 12 are particularly susceptible to the pests due to the many group settings that they're a part of, such as daycares, summer camps, sports activities, and, of course, school.
Many children also tend to share personal items, including brushes, barrettes, hats, scarves, and clothing, easily allowing lice to spread quickly even though they cannot fly or jump, contrary to myth. Additionally, lice are not a sign of dirtiness as they actually prefer cleaner hair, which is easier for them to grip onto, and they also do not spread disease. However, they can still be annoying and hard to get rid of, and their bites cause itching, which usually leads to redness and inflammation from constant scratching.
Here are five helpful and simple child head-louse treatment tips to cure your little ones of the troublesome but harmless parasites:
1. The key to successfully eradicating a lice infestation is a three-step process that must include killing live lice, removing every single nit (eggs), and also treating the environment around the infested person, including their personal belongings.
2. Olive oil, butter, mayonnaise, and petroleum jelly are all excellent for smothering or suffocating head lice, which are technically referred to as pediculosis, although nits will still need to be manually removed. Olive oil is the easiest of the four to remove from the hair but will still require several washings.
3. Wet your child's hair before combing through it as the water immobilizes the lice, allowing for easier removal. Many people also swear by using a flea comb rather than one intended to remove lice, although you should never use any type of flea or tick product on anyone other than the actual comb. Lice combs should have metal teeth that are no wider than three-tenths of a millimeter apart.
4. An effective child head-louse treatment doesn't just involve treating the child, but also the whole house as well as any other family members who may also have them. This means washing all bedding, towels, clothing, or anything else that may be hiding nits in very hot water, over 130 degrees Fahrenheit or 55 degrees Celsius, and then dried on the hottest setting.
Items that can't be washed and dried should be dry cleaned or completely sealed in an airtight bag for at least two weeks. This should include items such as plush toys, stuffed animals, and decorative pillows. All carpeting, throw rugs and upholstered furniture must also be thoroughly vacuumed. Do keep in mind that lice aren't able to survive for more than a few days after falling from their host.
5. A pediculicide, medicated shampoos, creams, or lotions, may be prescribed by your child's doctor. Lice removal kits can be purchased over-the-counter if other home treatment methods are unsuccessful or if the infestation is severe. On the other hand, some lice may be resistant to some types of commercial chemicals and require a more non-conventional method of removal. Never use a hair dryer after using any products containing chemicals, as some may be extremely flammable.
Consult with your doctor for ways to treat children under the age of two, who should not come in contact with most commercial products, as the chemical solutions are way too harsh for their young, sensitive scalps. Likewise, you should never shave your child's head in an attempt to get rid of lice, although cutting the hair very short may help to keep the pests at bay.
Both Shannon Pollock & Kristi Carter are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Shannon Pollock has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Infections and Energy Healing. Shannon Pollock has been teaching people about natural health remedies for many years. She is a specialist with experience in natural remedies for both people and animals.For more information on the treatment of head lice, as well as other natural health. Shannon Pollock's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.
Kristi Carter has sinced written about articles on various topics from Dog Care, Cure Anxiety and Fitness. http:// is the number one resource for helping children and adults get rid of head lice for good. This informative site provides readers. Kristi Carter's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.