head lice advice for parents. head lice basics head lice are small, wingless parasites that live on...
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Head lice basics
Head lice are small, wingless parasites that live on the human head,
especially near the ears and neck
They are about the size of a sesame seed when fully grown
They have 6 legs ending in hooked ‘claws’
Head lice can’t fly, jump or swim, but can crawl very fast
Head lice are normally transparent, but turn brown/red
when they have taken a blood meal
Head lice can live in short or long, or clean or dirty hair
Although they aren’t pleasant, they don’t carry disease
Head lice are a common infestation, and can be
successfully treated
Head lice basics
Nits are not live head lice
They are empty or dead head lice eggs
They remain attached to the hair with a kind of strong ‘glue’
deposited by the louse when laying
Nits can remain for weeks or even months after infection
What are nits?
Head lice can infect anyone, but they are most common
in children
Head lice are spread through head-to-head contact during:
• playtime
• sport
• working together in the classroom
• cuddles at home
Is your family at risk?
A few people will get an itchy scalp
You might find black specks on the pillowcase (this is the waste product)
Some people have no symptoms at all
You should perform detection combing in your family if you suspect head lice or know someone who has them
How can you tell if you have head lice?
Prepare by buying a good quality plastic
detection comb at your local pharmacy
Remove tangles with an ordinary
wide-toothed comb
Wet the hair and towel dry
You can use Lyclear CombAway
(wet combing kit) to make combing easier
Divide the hair into 4 sections
Detection combing
With the teeth of the plastic detection comb touching the scalp at the top of the section, pass the comb through to the ends, keeping it in contact with the scalp for as long as possible
Easy steps to detect head lice
Work on one section at a time
Step 1
Step 2After each pass of the comb, wipe it on
a tissue and inspect for lice
Easy steps to detect head lice
Step 3Repeat the process until all sections are completed
- it will take 15–20 minutes to do it properly
If you find a live moving head louse, you have an
active infestation
You must only use a treatment if you find a live,
moving head louse
Nits (empty or dead eggs) may have been left by a
previous infestation, but does not necessarily mean
there is an active infection
Detection combing
Conclusion
Make sure you have plenty of light, ideally natural daylight
Don’t use lots of conditioner as it will make the head lice
difficult to detect
Perform detection combing and treatment, where
necessary, on all family members on the same day, in order to
greatly reduce the risk of re-infection
Make detection combing part of a weekly routine, such as
preparation for the school week on Sunday evening
Detection combing
Tips
Step 1
If you find live head lice, ask the school nurse or your pharmacist for
advice and treatment options, or visit www.headliceadvice.net
There are two types of treatments: insecticides and non-insecticides
Step 2
Always read the leaflet before applying a treatment
Step 3
Treat all infected persons of the family on the same day
Step 4
The NHS advises that all treatments should be applied twice,
seven days apart
- many people forget the second application
What should you do next?
Head lice aren’t pleasant, but they are harmless
You can only catch them through head-to-head contact
with an infested person
Detection combing should be carried out every week
If live head lice are found, buy an effective treatment
and treat all infected family members at the same time
If no head lice are found, make sure you prevent head lice
by avoiding head-to-head contact, and use Lyclear Repellent
when there is a reported outbreak
Head lice – a summary
For more expert advice, visit