If this has happened to you then you can stop feeling like a terrible, neglectful parent who should have spotted the lice earlier. You've come up against one of the most successful parasites when it comes to man. Other parasites seem to have all but vanished from the lives of modern man as better personal hygiene has become widespread but head lice still thrive.
Unlike other parasites that have infested humans the fact that we now keep clean has no impact on Pediculus Humanus Capitis as head lice are scientifically known. Whether the hair is clean or dirty, head lice just don't seem to care. And washing the hair neither dislodges them nor drowns them.
Of course, as a good parent you're probably thinking you should have noticed your child had lice much earlier on but the fact is that nature has design head lice to be difficult to spot. They wouldn't have thrived for thousands of years if they could be seen with just a casual look. Their colouration, their size and the way they move through the hair are all designed to make them hard to spot. Unless you are actually looking for them you are unlikely to see them until the hair has become heavily infested.
As for the eggs, or nits as they are called, they are even more difficult to see and it can be very difficult to tell the difference between a nit and a flake of scalp skin if you've never seen a nit before.
So what about all the scratching that goes with head lice, surely you should have noticed that. Although frequent scratching of the scalp is an indication of lice only about a third of those infected will do this. The itching is caused by an allergic reaction to the bite, or more specifically the saliva produced during the bite.
It's thought that it takes several hundreds, if not thousands, of bites before the scalp of someone who is allergic to louse saliva will become itchy enough for them then to begin scratching. By this time the hair will already have a thriving colony of head lice living in it.
Because of all this it is good idea to have a routine of regular checks for head lice during the vulnerable school years when the chances of catching them are at their greatest. You only need to check the hair once or twice a month unless there are rumours of an outbreak when you'll want to do it at least once a week.
Get yourself a good head lice comb and work methodically through the hair inspecting the comb as you go. With a bit of practice you should be able to do this quite quickly. By carrying out regular checks you can prevent a lot of tears and embarrassment all round.
Anyone who comes into close contact with anyone that already has head lice or pieces of clothing or other belongings is at risk at getting it. Children that are age's three to ten are especially likely to develop head lice. Girls often contract it more often than boys and women more than men.
Children can contract lice from the following situations:
* Coming into contact with a person who is already infected by lice. This can include coming into contact during school, play, sports activities, slumber parties, camp, home or school.
* Wearing or sharing the same articles of clothing like sport uniforms, hair accessories, hats, coats and scarves.
* Sharing or using the same brushes, combs or towels.
* Being in the same bed, lying on the same couch, sitting on the carpet or stuffed animals that are touched and shared between children.
There are three different kinds of lice that include the nit, nymph and adult louse. Nits are the lice eggs. They are hard to see and are very often confused with dandruff or drops of hair spray. They attach themselves firmly to the shaft of the hair and are oval in shape and yellow or white in color.
Nymphs are baby louses from the nits when hatched. They look like an adult head louse but are smaller in size. They mature into adults in about seven days after they hatch. They have to feed on blood in order to survive. The adult louse is about the size of a sesame seed and is tan or gray in color. They have six legs and can appear darker in people who have dark hair. Females lay the nits and are usually larger than the males. Adult head lice can live up to a month on a persons head and need to feed on blood to survive. Once the louse falls off of a person, they can die within two days.
Head lice are most often located on the scalp between the ears and are near the neckline and back of the neck. They hold onto hair with claws and are rarely found on any other area of the body.
The symptoms of lice include:
* Tickling sensation or something moving in the hair * Itching * Sores on the head * Infected sores of the head * Irritability
If you think that you or your child may have been in contact with someone who has head lice, it is best to check them right away and begin treating them. There is no reason to resort to exposing your children to harmful chemicals in order to rid them of these parasites. There are numerous natural options available to you that are safe and effective with no harmful side effects.
Both Kaz Williams & Shannon Pollock 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.
Kaz Williams has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Health and Yeast Infection. Getting rid of head lice and nits can be a real problem. If you want useful information about what are available or wh. Kaz Williams's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.
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 dealing with head lice, as well as other natural health rel. Shannon Pollock's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.