The Start of School is Followed by More Cases of Head Lice Infestation

There is a very good reason why September is the National Head Lice Awareness Month.

The start of school is followed by more cases of head lice infestation. An infestation is normally symptom-less until it has had time to spread throughout the family or classroom.

You may first notice children frequently scratching around the ears or at the base of the neck. School and day care settings are ideal places for head lice to be passed from child to child. Parents and teachers will need to be more vigilant once school has started.

It’s not very pleasant to think about head lice but there is some good news. They are usually fairly easy to eradicate, shaving the head is no longer necessary and the lice do not carry infections.

It is through direct contact that head lice are transferred from one head to another. Direct contact can also mean contact with personal items that are shared. By sharing items such as pillows, nap blankets, or towels the infestation can be passed from one person to another.

Combs, hairbrushes, hats and other hair/head accessories are also good carriers of head lice. It is important that in a day care or school environment that each child should use their own nap time articles.

They shouldn’t be sharing beds, blankets or pillows. Each child should keep their personal items in a storage bin separate from the other children’s personal items. Hooks on the wall for coat hanging should be spaced far enough so that the coats do not touch each other.

Once you overcome the shock of finding that your child has head lice it is time to take action. Be sure to check every other member of your household for signs of infestation. If they do not have them then it is not necessary to treat them.

Parents should be aware that an infestation is not caused by poor hygiene, or because the child comes from a poor family. Head lice do not respect money or social structures! A child may feel embarrassed by having head lice but all children are susceptible to this problem.

Head lice can move around fairly quickly but they can’t jump of fly so transfer is through direct contact to the infested person’s head or through a personal item that is carrying lice or nits. Head lice can only live off human blood so the good news is that they will not be carried by your pets.

Communication is very important when a child is found to be carrying head lice. The school will need to be informed so that they can contact other parents so that they can inspect their children and prevent the infestation from spreading further. If you receive a message from your child’s school or day care center be sure to check your child’s head for lice for the next seven to ten days.

Remember, your child doesn’t need to feel embarrassment because of head lice. Treat your child, and when the lice are gone they can return to their usual routine.

For more information on how-to treat and manage head lice read this article: Head lice infestation is more of a nuisance than a health hazard