Head lice - Aside from October the 31st being notable for Halloween, it is also "Bug Busting Awareness Day" where people campaign to tackle the massive problem of head lice. And let's not forget that October the 31st is also recognized for another very special event on this particular date "Wear It Pink Day". You wear something pink and donate 2 to a breast cancer campaign. I'm not sure if converted into US dollars what the yank would be asked to pay, nonetheless, no matter how little the donation it all adds up for something as important.
About head lice and how you can help tackle the problem by bug busting.
What are head lice and nits? Well a sure sign that shows you have them is you can't stop scratching your head. Having said that dandruff also, and other scalp conditions can cause itchiness. If dandruff is not a problem for you then you may need de-lousing. If the head is not treated immediately to rid head lice if they are present then you could end up being told your head is crawling. This means you can actually see the louse weave in and out of hair strands at a speed, like that of the speed the eggs (nits) hatch. Someone standing close to a person infested with head lice would be able to see the pesky little crawlies as plain as day. The word "crawling" is used because you're not dealing with one head louse. The louse is never alone it comes grouped with many others. If your kids hair is "crawling" with head lice, meaning lots or your child's got nits (louse eggs) then bug busting needs to start as soon as.
What is the difference between head lice and nits? Nits are the eggs and the lice appear when the eggs hatch. Sometimes, depending on the amount included with infestation the only way to rid nits which cling to the hair is to have the hair cut short or shaven. You can however if you have time on your hands to spare pull the nits out one by one with your fingers, but if you have a couple of kids then I suggest you talk to your pharmacist in the chemist and ask for their advice on what is the best solution for ridding head lice.
Once the head is back to its healthy state its best to look at what you can do to prevent your child from getting nits again. Why wait for October 31st to burst your first bug. No wonder the primary symptom of having head lice is constant itching because what else would you expect with these bugs making your head their home.
Lice are vastly common in children, and usually caught from other kids who already have nits, hence the reason for the nit nurse coming into schools to check each child for nits. This was done in my day, but not sure if this is the norm in schools today. Transmission of head lice is via head-to-head contact and has nothing to do with being dirty.
Head lice are a tiny greyish-brown insect, about 2.5mm long. They cling to hair and are normally found on the scalp and on the shoulders if the head is crawling. Head lice live on blood, which they get their supply from biting through the scalp.
The male will mate and the female louse then lays eggs firmly attached to the hair close to the scalp and can be very difficult to remove. After about a week the baby lice hatchleaving a shiny white empty eggshell (nit.)
What causes infestation of head lice?
Head lice in schools are much near to what we would call an epidemic, hence the bug busting awareness to remove as many as we can. Lice pass from one child or adult to another during direct head-to-head contact. This is because lice can' jump or fly; they can only get to another head by walking along strands of hair. Keep your child's hair up in a pony tail or tied up in a braid to help prevent this.
Bites from head lice can cause intense itching and irritation on the scalp.
Looking for head lice to bug bust
Part the hair and if nits are there you will see them, remember lice move quickly so you may have to hunt for them
To remove head lice purchase a purposely created detection (nit) comb. This is a fine-toothed plastic or metal (Derbac) comb with spacing of less than 0.3mm.
Have your child lean their head over a sheet of white paper to catch the bugs/ nits that come with the stroke of the nit comb.
1. Use an ordinary comb to untangle hair. The infected person's comb should not be used by another unless sterilized.
2. Now for the nit detection comb.
3. Begin at the center of the scalp near to the front.
4. Start at the roots and run the comb to the end of the hair strand.
5. Check the teeth of the comb for living lice. Some people will crack them with their thumb nail, maybe this is what they mean by bug busting.
6. Continue combing section by section until the whole head has been rid of lice and eggs.
7. Cover every inch of the scalp, behind the ears and at the nape of the neck.
If you've washed the hair, and used hair conditioner "good" The more slippery the harder for the lice to maneuver. Rinse out the conditioner and run the nit comb through again. If you're treating curly hair use a tablespoonful of olive oil which will makes it easier to use the nit comb effectively.
There are three main treatments for ridding head lice which are noted below, but no solution is ever 100%. You should only consider chemical nit treatment if you find a live louse. Already empty eggshells (nits,) may be the sign of a previous batch of lice that's already been destroyed.
Insecticides
Insecticides that kill head lice are available in lotion and shampoo form. You can buy them from the chemist or get them from your GP.
In my research I found the 3 types of lice medication in Britain listed below:
Phenothrin (Full marks liquid and full marks lotion.)
Insecticides can't prevent head lice.
Common reasons why some head lice treatments don't work is because they have been used incorrectly. For example:
Not enough nit lotion used.
Pouring the mixture over the scalp and spreading it from that spot. Part the hair and apply as required to work affectively, meaning applying a few drops evenly along the length of the hair
The nit lotion should be left on the hair and allowed to dry naturally. "Mistake" using a hair dryer.
Sadly head lice are becoming resistant to some of the insecticides. There are also concerns about the environmental effects of overusing insecticide preparations (which are much similar to some agricultural pesticides).
Silicone-based products
There are 3 products quite new that work in a diverse way to standard insecticides to rid head lice.
Hedrin lotion (ingredient dimeticone)
Itax lotion (ingredient cyclomethicone)
NYDA pump spray (ingredient dimeticone).
These products destroy the lice by covering their surface and smother them. The head lice don't have a chance with these products. Research found wet combing more effective than insecticides for removing head lice.
As for "Wear It Pink Day," for cancer awareness, dress all in pink to bug bust, and for every louse you burst give a dollar or a pound to the breast cancer campaign.
How To treat A Childs Hair Crawling with Head Lice And Nits Naturally
Hi Fran thanks for taking note of how much I do (lol) Sometimes I dont know how I manage to get all that I do done in a day - what with running a home and suffering from OCD so everything has to be spotless. I look also look after my 3 year old grandaughter 10 hours a day every day. I also have 6 websites I have to keep on top off. I sometimes think is there more hours in my day that other peoples. Thank you for commenting and signing off as WONDER WOMAN
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