Do you suspect your child is suffering from head lice? Do you notice your child scratching his scalp frequently? Or have you heard of an outbreak of head louse at his school? You can probably find out if your child has head louse by doing an easy examination at home.
The simplest way to identify head lice is through identifying their eggs in the hair. Lice eggs are called nits. Head lice will lay these eggs on the hair shaft close to the scalp. This is why a head examination requires looking at the scalp. Before the baby lice hatch, nits look tan, brown, or yellow. Once the nit has hatched, the shell will stay attached to the hair shaft. This is the easiest thing to see, as it is whitish, looking somewhat like dandruff. The main difference between head lice eggs and dandruff is dandruff will easily shake off of the hair shaft, while lice eggs are fused 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. But, not all children find head lice to be irritating. Also, scratching their scalp might be an indication of other problems, such as dandruff or eczema. The itching from nits is generally likened to a tickle, or the feeling of something crawling on the scalp.
Children who have sensitive scalps, and spend a lot of time scratching because of the nits will regularly get a rash on their scalp. Head lice rash looks like red bumps at the base of the hair shaft. It may infrequently develop into a more extreme infection that needs 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 purchase a medicated shampoo that can eliminate the lice. Make sure you follow the instructions to the letter, because improper use won' eliminate all of the lice. You will also want to comb through the hair using a fine tooth comb to remove any nits that are not eliminated by the shampoo.
When you have treated your child, wash any clothes in the house, as lice have the ability to live up to three days off of the scalp if they are attached to clothing. Also, boil anything that comes in contact with an infected head, including brushes, bows and combs. It is especially important to wash any bedding. Vacuum all furniture and floors. Then look out for signs of re-infestation. If this happens, start the procedure again. It can be difficult, but you can get rid of head lice with the proper steps. - 16650
The simplest way to identify head lice is through identifying their eggs in the hair. Lice eggs are called nits. Head lice will lay these eggs on the hair shaft close to the scalp. This is why a head examination requires looking at the scalp. Before the baby lice hatch, nits look tan, brown, or yellow. Once the nit has hatched, the shell will stay attached to the hair shaft. This is the easiest thing to see, as it is whitish, looking somewhat like dandruff. The main difference between head lice eggs and dandruff is dandruff will easily shake off of the hair shaft, while lice eggs are fused 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. But, not all children find head lice to be irritating. Also, scratching their scalp might be an indication of other problems, such as dandruff or eczema. The itching from nits is generally likened to a tickle, or the feeling of something crawling on the scalp.
Children who have sensitive scalps, and spend a lot of time scratching because of the nits will regularly get a rash on their scalp. Head lice rash looks like red bumps at the base of the hair shaft. It may infrequently develop into a more extreme infection that needs 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 purchase a medicated shampoo that can eliminate the lice. Make sure you follow the instructions to the letter, because improper use won' eliminate all of the lice. You will also want to comb through the hair using a fine tooth comb to remove any nits that are not eliminated by the shampoo.
When you have treated your child, wash any clothes in the house, as lice have the ability to live up to three days off of the scalp if they are attached to clothing. Also, boil anything that comes in contact with an infected head, including brushes, bows and combs. It is especially important to wash any bedding. Vacuum all furniture and floors. Then look out for signs of re-infestation. If this happens, start the procedure again. It can be difficult, but you can get rid of head lice with the proper steps. - 16650
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