The head louse is a tiny, wingless parasitic pest that lives in human hairs and feeds upon tiny amounts of blood drawn from the scalp. Lice (the plural of louse) are a really typical problem, especially for kids. They're infectious, bothersome, and in some cases difficult to get rid of.
While they're irritating to deal with, lice aren't unsafe. They do not spread disease, although their bites can make a kid's scalp scratchy and irritated, and scratching can result in infection.
It's finest to deal with head lice rapidly as soon as they're discovered since they can spread easily from person to person.
Indications of Head Lice
They're really 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 is best 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. After hatching, the remaining shell looks white or clear and stays strongly attached to the hair shaft. This is when it's easiest to identify them, as the hair is growing longer and the egg shell is moving far from the scalp.
Adult lice and nymphs (infant lice). The adult louse is no bigger than a sesame seed and is grayish-white or tan. Nymphs are smaller sized and end up being adult lice about 1 to 2 weeks after they hatch. If head lice is not treated, this procedure repeats itself about every 3 weeks. A lot of lice feed upon blood several times a day, and they can survive up to 2 days off the scalp.
With lice bites come itching and scratching. The itching might not constantly start right away-- that depends on how sensitive a kid's skin is to the lice. It can in some cases take weeks for kids with lice to start scratching.
Small red bumps or sores from scratching. For some kids, the irritation is moderate; for others, a more annoying rash might establish. Extreme scratching can result in a bacterial infection (this can cause swollen lymph glands and red, tender skin that might have crusting and exuding). If your medical professional believes this holds true, he or she may treat the infection with an oral antibiotic.
You may be able to see the lice or nits by parting your child's hair into little areas and checking 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 bright light may help. But it can be difficult to discover a nymph or adult louse-- often, there aren't much of them and they move fast.
See your medical professional if your kid is constantly scratching his or her head or suffers a scratchy scalp that will not go away. The doctor should have the ability to inform you if your child is infested with lice and requires to be dealt with. Not all kids have the classic signs of head lice www.liceremovallosangelescare.com and some can be symptom-free.
Be sure to inspect with your kid's school nurse or childcare center director to see if other kids have actually recently been dealt with for lice. If you find that your child does, undoubtedly, have lice or nits, contact the personnel at the school and child care center to let them know.
Are Lice Contagious?
Lice are extremely contagious and can spread out quickly from person to person, particularly in group settings (like schools, child care centers, slumber parties, sports activities, and camps).
Though they can't fly or jump, these small parasites have specially adjusted claws that let them crawl and cling securely to hair. They spread out generally through head-to-head contact, but sharing clothes, bed linens, combs, brushes, and hats also can pass them along. Kids are most vulnerable to catching lice since they tend to have close physical contact with each other and share individual items.
And you might wonder if Fido or Fluffy may be capturing the pests and passing them on to your family. Rest guaranteed that family pets can't catch head lice and pass them on to individuals or the other method around.
Treatment
Your doctor can suggest a medicated hair shampoo, cream rinse, or cream to kill the lice. Medicated lice treatments typically kill the lice, however it might take a few days for the itching to stop.
Ensure that the medication is safe for your kid's age. While non-prescription shampoos are safe for kids as young as 2 months, other medicines are just safe for kids 2 years and older. It's crucial to follow the instructions exactly since these items are insecticides. Using excessive medication-- or using it too often-- can increase the danger of damage. Follow the instructions on the product label.
Treatment may be not successful if the medication is not utilized properly or if the lice are resistant to it. After treatment, your doctor may suggest combing the nits with a fine-tooth comb and likewise might recommend repeating treatment in 7 to 10 days to kill any recently hatched nits.
Getting rid of By Hand
If your child is 2 months old or younger, you must not utilize medicated lice treatments. You'll require to remove the nits and lice by hand.
To eliminate lice and nits by hand, utilize a fine-tooth comb on your child's wet, conditioned hair every 3 to 4 days for 3 weeks after the last live louse was seen. Moistening the hair beforehand is suggested since it momentarily immobilizes the lice and the conditioner makes it much easier to get a comb through the hair.
There's no requirement to purchase electronic combs that claim to eliminate lice or make nits easier to get rid of. No research studies have actually been done to support these claims. You also do not require to buy special vinegar solutions to apply to the scalp before picking nits. Good old-fashioned water works just fine.
Wet combing is likewise an option to pesticide treatments in older kids. Petroleum jelly, mayo, or olive oil are often utilized in an effort to suffocate head lice, these treatments might not work. If medication does not work and you desire to attempt these methods, talk to your doctor.
Make sure you get rid of nits carefully weekly for a minimum of 3 weeks in a row, and watch your child carefully 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