Does Your Child Suffer From Headlice

By Jennifer King | January 31, 2010

Do you think your child has head lice? Have you noticed him scratching his head frequently? Or maybe you’ve heard of an outbreak of head louse at his school? You can probably discover if your son or daughter has head louse by doing an easy evaluation at home.

The easiest way to spot head lice is by noticing their eggs in your child’s hair. Louse eggs are also known as nits. These eggs get laid by the lice on your child’s hair shaft close to the scalp. This is why a head check depends on scrutinizing your child’s scalp. Before the baby lice hatch, nits look tan, brown, or yellow. Once the nit has hatched, the shell will stay attached to your child’s hair shaft. This is the easiest thing to notice, as it is whitish, looking somewhat like dandruff. The main difference between nits and dandruff is dandruff is easily shaken from the hair shaft, while nits are glued to the shaft.

On occasions you will be able to identify adult head louse in your child’s hair, especially if the hair is short. These little beasties are tiny, no bigger than a sesame seed from a hamburger bun, and they tend to have the exact coloring as your child’s hair. Most people grasp their children are infected when they see the adults moving through their kid’s hair.

Head scratching is, without a doubt, another sign of a head lice infestation. In saying that, not all children find head lice to be itchy. Also, scratching the scalp could be an indication of other problems, such as dandruff or eczema. The itching from nits is commonly described as a tickle, or the sensation of something moving about on the scalp.

Children who suffer from sensitive skin, and spend a lot of time scratching because of the head lice will often develop a rash on their scalp. Head lice rash will appear as red lumps at the base of the scalp. It might sometimes turn into a more extreme infection that requires antibiotics.

If you suspect your child may have head lice, part his hair and check the base of the hair strands for the nits. Pay particular concern to the areas of hair around the neck and ears. If you have trouble focusing up close, you may want to use a magnifying glass. Be sure to do the lice checking in bright light. If you find nothing, but the itching continues, it is time for a trip to the doctor. On the other hand, if there is persistent scratching, and you’ve heard of an outbreak at school or day care, you probably can be sure that the reason is head lice.

To treat head lice you can buy a chemical based shampoo that can eliminate the lice. Make sure you follow the application guide to the letter, because incorrect use will not wipe out all of the lice. You will also need to comb through the hair with a fine tooth comb to remove any nits that are not killed by the shampoo.

Once you have treated your child, wash any clothes that are lying around, as lice have the ability to live up to three days out of your child’s hair if they are on clothing. Also, boil any objects that come in contact with your child’s head, including combs, brushes and bows. It is particularly important to wash any bedding. Vacuum all floors and furniture. Then watch carefully for signs of re-infestation. If it happens, start the process again. It can be hard work, but it’s possible to get rid of head lice with the correct steps.

If you want to use a natural cure for head lice visit Home Remedy For Head Lice and keep your children chemical free.

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