The head louse is a small, wingless parasitic pest that lives in human hairs and eats small amounts of blood drawn from the scalp. Lice (the plural of louse) are an extremely common problem, especially for kids. They're infectious, frustrating, and often difficult to get rid of.
But while they're irritating to deal with, lice aren't unsafe. They don't spread out illness, although their bites can make a child's scalp itchy and inflamed, and scratching can result in infection.
It's best to treat head lice rapidly when they're found because they can spread out easily from person to person.
Signs of Head Lice
They're extremely small, lice can be seen by the naked eye. Here are things to try to find:
Lice eggs (called nits). Lice lay nits on hair shafts close to the scalp, where the temperature level is ideal for keeping warm up until they hatch.
Unless the infestation is heavy, it's more typical to see nits in a kid's hair than it is to see live lice crawling on the scalp. Lice eggs hatch within 1 to 2 weeks after they're laid.
Adult lice and nymphs (child lice). If head lice is not treated, this process repeats itself about every 3 weeks.
Scratching. With lice bites come itching and scratching. This is in fact due to a response to the saliva of lice. The itching might not constantly start right away-- that depends on how delicate a child's skin is to the lice. It can sometimes take weeks for kids with lice to begin scratching. They may complain, however, of things moving on or tickling their heads.
For some kids, the inflammation is mild; for others, a more annoying rash may establish. If your doctor believes this is the case, he or she may deal with the infection with an oral antibiotic.
You may have the ability to see the lice or nits by parting your child's hair into little sections and looking for lice and nits with a fine-tooth comb on the scalp, behind the ears, and around the nape of the neck (it's unusual for them to be found on eyelashes or eyebrows).
A magnifying glass and brilliant light might help. It can be tough to find a nymph or adult louse-- frequently, there aren't numerous of them and they move quick.
See your doctor if your child is continuously scratching his/her head or experiences an itchy scalp that won't go away. The physician needs to have the ability to tell you if your kid is plagued with lice and requires to be treated. Not all kids have the traditional symptoms of head lice and some can be symptom-free.
Be sure to examine with your child's school nurse or child care center director to see if other kids have just recently been treated for lice. If you discover that your child does, undoubtedly, have lice or nits, get in https://liceremovallosangelescare.com touch with the personnel at the school and childcare center to let them understand. Discover what their return policy is. Most usually permit kids to return after one topical treatment has been completed.
Are Lice Contagious?
Lice are extremely contagious and can spread rapidly from person to person, specifically in group settings (like schools, childcare centers, slumber parties, sports activities, and camps).
They can't fly or jump, these small parasites have actually specially adapted claws that let them crawl and stick securely to hair. They spread out mainly through head-to-head contact, however sharing clothes, bed linens, combs, brushes, and hats likewise can pass them along. Kids are most prone to catching lice because they tend to have close physical contact with each other and share personal items.
And you might wonder if Fido or Fluffy might be catching the insects and passing them on to your family. But felt confident that animals can't catch head lice and pass them on to individuals or the other way around.
Treatment
Your physician can advise a medicated shampoo, cream rinse, or lotion to eliminate the lice. Medicated lice treatments normally kill the lice, however it may take a few days for the itching to stop.
Make sure that the medicine is safe for your child's age. While over the counter shampoos are safe for kids as young as 2 months, other medicines are only safe for kids 2 years and older.
Treatment might be not successful if the medication is not used properly or if the lice are resistant to it. After treatment, your physician might recommend combing the nits with a fine-tooth comb and also may suggest duplicating treatment in 7 to 10 days to eliminate any freshly hatched nits.
Removing By Hand
If your child is 2 months old or younger, you must not utilize medicated lice treatments. You'll require to get rid of the nits and lice by hand.
To remove lice and nits by hand, use a fine-tooth comb on your child's damp, conditioned hair every 3 to 4 days for 3 weeks after the last live louse was seen. Moistening the hair ahead of time is recommended because it briefly paralyzes the lice and the conditioner makes it simpler to get a comb through the hair.
There's no requirement to purchase electronic combs that claim to kill lice or make nits much easier to remove. No studies have been done to support these claims. You likewise do not require to buy special vinegar solutions to apply to the scalp before choosing nits. Great old-fashioned water works simply great.
Wet combing is likewise an option to pesticide treatments in older kids. Though petroleum jelly, mayo, or olive oil are sometimes used in an attempt to suffocate head lice, these treatments may not work. If medication does not work and you desire to attempt these approaches, talk to your medical professional.
Make certain you remove nits carefully every week for at least 3 weeks in a row, and watch your child closely to see if any live lice return.
For more information, contact:
Lice Removal Los Angeles Care
777 S Alameda St #29
Los Angeles, CA 90021
310-935-1644