Head Lice Myths

Head lice are one of the most commonly misunderstood topics today. There are several myths about head lice, some of them may have a thread of truth to them, but most are simply widespread misunderstandings.

- Head lice can jump from person to person: This is untrue; head lice cannot jump or fly. They spread through direct contact, or indirectly by means of personal items such as hat, combs, brushes etc.

- It is absolutely necessary to use a pesticide in my house to rid it of head lice: Though you can choose to do this if you want, it really is not necessary and not recommended. Head lice can only live for about 2 to 3 days when they are not on a human host. If there happens to be lice eggs on carpet or furniture, when they hatch they will have to feed within a short period of time or they will die. Vacuum the carpet and furniture, and then concentrate on bedding, clothes, combs, brushes and stuffed animals.

- You can treat a head lice infestation with petroleum jelly: Though a petroleum jelly may smother lice, it will not kill the nits, or lice eggs. In addition, it is very hard to remove it from the hair.

It is necessary to shave the hair when treating for head lice: It is true that this will help to more easily treat for head lice, but it can be a traumatic experience, especially for children. Of course this is much more true for girls than boys, but a boy may not like his head shaved either. The better option is to treat the condition, and carefully remove all the nits with a specially designed nit removal comb.

- You can use gasoline or kerosene to kill head lice: CAUTION: This is not only an extremely ineffective means of trying to treat head lice; it also does not work and is very dangerous. You should never use gasoline or kerosene on any part of the body as the fumes are combustible and may cause injury or death. Many children have been hurt or killed when parents try to use this form of treatment.

- Lice can transmit disease: Though head lice are an uncomfortable and embarrassing condition, it has few risks. The danger is in a rash or lacerations on the scalp due to scratching that may become infected. If your children do get head lice try and stop them from scratching their heads.

- Clean people do not get head lice: This is completely untrue. Anyone can catch head lice, no matter how clean they are. In fact, head lice prefer a clean, healthy scalp, but it matters little to these tiny insects whose head they infest.

To properly combat head lice, you need to know the facts. Learn as much as you can about head lice infestation and you will be better prepared if one of your children comes home with these little pests.

There are many public schools that have very strict "no nit" policies when it comes to dealing with head lice. Though it may seem extremely unfair that your child is sent home a second time, even after you have treated them for head lice, the policy is aimed an eliminated the spreading of lice to other children.
Many school officials, including school nurses may lack the expertise necessary to determine if nits are active or inactive, therefore if they spot nits in a child's hair they send them home until all the nits have been removed. This is why it is so important that parents use meticulous care during the nit removal phase after head lice treatment.
There is some controversy over the "no nit policy" implemented at schools. Excluding children based on nits in the hair that may not even be a live infestation can actually have lasting emotional problems for that child. On the other hand, it is reassuring for the parents of other children, that a child that is infested with head lice won't be allowed back in school to spread it to others. Despite the fact that there is some opposition to the "no nit school policies" there are some advantages to it.

For communities to actively control head lice infestations, there has to be a universal protocol when dealing with it. This is one way to help prevent head lice from becoming epidemic in school or daycare settings. With the "no nit " head lice policies, those who are responsible for checking to ensure a child is free from head lice will not have to guess if the nits represent a new infestation, they simply don't allow the child back in school. Though it is true that a child who is isolated due to a head lice infestation may have some emotional problems due to the isolation, the problems that may be posed because of ridicule by classmates and friends could be much worse.All this is not to mention that most healthcare specialists believe that the number one cause of a re-infestation is failure to remove nits from the hair. Nit removal is very inconvenient, but necessary. Not only does combing the hair with a nit removal comb ensure that head lice and their eggs are removed, failure to do this can result in having to repeat the treatment several times, multiplying the inconvenience of treating head lice.

Today the problem of head lice has reach epidemic proportions in some public schools, as well as other group settings, such as childcare centers. Time and again children are sent home with lice. After treatment they are sent back to school only to catch lice again within a month or two.

The head lice epidemic in schools is a true nightmare for some parents, especially if their family has a case of persistent head lice. With persistent head lice many treatments don't seem to work, and even after several treatments the lice and nits are still in the hair. The best way to tackle the head lice problem is by taking preventative measures. Once your family has head lice, getting rid of it can be very difficult, not to mention a lot of hard work, so it makes sense that taking preventative precautions is one of your best defenses against these parasitic insects.
If you have children that are school age, or in childcare, make sure that they understand first of all, what lice is. Ensure that they understand having lice does not make them bad, or dirty, but that it can be miserable and hard to get rid of.

Let your children know what types of behavior will increase their chances of being exposed to head lice.

@ Ask them not to share coats, hats, brushes or any other personal items at school.
@Teaching your children not to share personal items will go a long way in helping to prevent a head lice infestation in your family, but it's not enough.
@While your children are spending time within group settings, such as school or preschool, you should vigilantly check their hair at least once a week for signs of head lice or nits. The best way to do this is by using a specially designed comb for removing head lice.
@Under a bright light, examine your child's head for any signs of the insects, and also run the comb through their hair to remove any possible freeloading louse.

This may seem to be an extreme inconvenience, but it is nothing compared to the work you will face if your child does bring home head lice. Once your family has head lice you will be faced with treating the hair multiple times, as well as nightly combing to remove nits. Even then you won't be done; you will have to deal with the monumental task of vacuuming and cleaning every surface in your home, washing endless laundry, and even delousing your car.By far, the best option is to prevent head lice.