Head Louse Cure: What you Should Know
Head lice are parasitic insects that attach themselves to the base of the hair follicles located on the scalp and neck of the human host. Head lice are a common occurrence especially amongst young children. The frequency of cases, found in children, is due to the fact that infected children infect other children through the use of shared hair brushes, combs and barrettes. Head lice are not peculiar to any ethnicity and as well it is not an indication of the personal hygiene of the family or child.
There are many steps in providing a head louse cure. The first steps towards providing a head lice cure are in identifying whether a head lice problem exists, treating the head lice and treatment of other infected areas.
Identifying a Head Louse Problem
Generally, head lice affect grade school children. This occurs when one child is infected and shares their hairbrush, comb or other hair accessories with other children. When head lice are detected in a child at school, the school will send out a notice to the parents that they should check their children for head lice.
Therefore, before providing a head louse cure, it is important that your child be examined to determine whether head lice are present. This can be done by a medical professional or by yourself as the parent or guardian.
Symptoms of head lice may be indicated if your child scratches their head more than normal. Your child may be also extremely restless. In addition physical evidence of a possible head lice problem may be a black powder like substance that may appear on the neck and shoulders of your child as well as on their pillow.
Treatment for Head Lice
There are a number of treatments that are available that will aid in providing a head louse cure, and these treatments can be commercial products that will destroy the lice. These particular products incorporate an insecticide. Also, there are other head louse cures that are made from natural ingredients and provide a home remedy cure.
It is important to note that a head louse cure will require more than one treatment. This is due to the fact that the first head lice treatment will kill the active lice. However, within seven to eight days, additional lice will appear due to the hatching of the previously laid eggs. Therefore a second treatment is indicated as part of the head louse cure.
Following the second application of the treatment you have chosen, inspection for remaining lice should be performed. If lice are still evidenced, a third treatment should be performed. If no lice are present then the head louse cure will be deemed as successful.
Treatment of Other Infected Areas
As part of the head louse cure it is important to treat other items within the household that have come in contact with the infected areas of your child. These infected areas could include bedding, pillows, and clothing.
Bedding and clothing should go through the washing process which includes the proper drying of these items. Other items that cannot be washed should be placed in protective containers or plastic bags and frozen in order to kill the lice.
It is not necessary to treat other areas of the home. This is because the lice will not survive very long once they are no longer in contact with the individual.
