Welcome to the Head Lice Lessons Website
My name is Richard Killey, and I hope that through my efforts here at www.headlicelessons.com, you will either never suffer from head lice, or if you do, the lessons you learn here will help you get rid of them quickly.
The first article is just below this introduction, and others are available via the menu at the top of each screen.
Richard
What Are Head Lice?
Head lice, or Pediculus humanus capitis, as they are called in medical terms are parasitic insects that live on the scalp and in the hair of humans. Sometimes an infestation of head lice is called Pediculosis. Head lice need humans to survive and are easily spread from person to person. It can happen to everyone, even the cleanest person among us. Special shampoos and special combs that will pull the nits and dead lice from the hair can successfully treat head lice.
Head lice develop in three distinct forms, the nits, nymphs, and adults. The nits are head lice eggs and attach themselves to the hair shaft. They are often thought to be dried scalp flakes, dandruff, or hairspray that has hardened. They are usually white or yellow and are oval in shape. They take about a week to hatch.
The nymph is what the nits hatch into from the eggs. They are not fully formed head lice but they mature fast. They become adult head lice in seven days. Nymphs must feed on blood to survive. The adult head lice are about the same size as a sesame seed. It can be grayish white to tan, it’s about the size of a sesame seed, and it has six legs. If the head lice are on the hair shaft of a dark haired person, they will look darker in color. The adult lice needs to feed on blood and can live up to 30 days if it is on a head. If it falls off, it will only live about 48 hours.
Head lice can be found anywhere in the world and are spread by direct contact. This means sharing a comb, brush, hat, or other hair accessories or just being in close contact with an infested person can infest someone. Contact with another child’s head is common while playing and head lice are easily passed on. Head lice do not fly but can jump from one head to another whenever people are in close contact with each other.
Borrowing a comb, brush, scarves, coats or sports uniforms can transfer head lice. They can be transferred from one person to another by using someone’s towel, lying on a bed, pillow, or carpet that an infested person has lain on and can be passed with a stuffed animal!
Lice are not transferred from pets; they spread from one human to another. The body’s common reaction to head lice is itching. Itching can cause another problem infection. Constant scratching can cause the infection and will usually need to be treated with antibiotics. A child that is infested with head lice will usually be irritable because of the itching.
You can tell if your child is infested by closely looking through their hair for nits and adult head lice. The nits are the easiest to spot because they are whitish and glue themselves to the hear shafts. They will not move along the shaft like dandruff or dry scalp flakes, that will let you know they are nits. If you are not sure if your child has head lice, you may take them to your family doctor or your local health department for a diagnosis. Sometimes a school nurse will discover the head lice and your child will be sent home from school until he or she no longer has any nits.
|
