Khaberni - Controlling head lice is one of the most challenging tasks faced by parents, especially since common chemical products are no longer as effective as they used to be, but it is still possible with perseverance and patience, so how can this be achieved?
Head lice are small insects with 6 legs, found only in human head hair, and are most common in the hair of elementary school children.
Lice like to live on human hair, but they crawl onto the scalp 6 times a day to suck blood and have claws precisely designed to crawl up and down hair strands.
The term "nits" refers to head lice eggs, and it is often the first sign of infestation, as a single louse lays more than 100 eggs during its one-month lifespan, according to the Independent newspaper.
There is no evidence that head lice can spread pathogens, but they are bothersome and their bites may cause skin reactions, and the stigma of being infested with head lice may have greater consequences than any direct health consequences on affected children.
Lice do not jump or fly
From nursery to elementary school, a child is likely to get head lice at least once, and girls are more prone to head lice infestation than boys, due to their long hair.
Head lice do not jump or fly but transfer from one head to another through direct contact.
Maintaining home cleanliness and organization will not prevent head lice, as lice do not care about the cleanliness of bed linens, towels, or how often carpets are cleaned.
There might be a risk of head lice transmission through shared pillows, but even this risk is considered low, so there is no need to change the bedding of a child or any other family member when there are lice in a child's hair.
Research recommendations issued by the New South Wales Department of Health in Australia generally indicate that "bed linens, hats, clothes, and furniture do not harbor or transfer lice or nits, and washing them is not beneficial as a treatment option."
Do not expect any magical cure
A wide range of products is available in pharmacies to treat head lice, and the problem is that most of these products are pesticides that kill the lice upon contact, but may not kill the eggs.
If treatments are not completed according to the directions specified on the product labels, some head lice may not be killed. It seems that head lice are becoming resistant to the chemicals we use against them, making it harder to eradicate the infestation in children, so do not expect any magical cure.
Health authorities in Australia generally recommend the "conditioner and comb" or "wet combing" method. This involves physically removing the lice without the need to use chemicals.
There are 3 main steps:
1. Immobilize the lice by applying hair conditioner to the wet hair of the child and leaving it for about 20 minutes.
2. Comb the hair regularly using a "lice comb" with fine teeth, and the conditioner and lice can be wiped off with paper towels or tissues. Here, only adult lice will be collected, and the eggs will be dealt with later.
3. The process should be repeated twice, about a week apart, to break the life cycle of head lice, as repeating the process after a week allows any remaining eggs to hatch, making it easier to get rid of the young lice than dealing with the eggs.
