Departments
Health Matters
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Week of 14 November 1997 |
Vol. I, No. 12 |
Health Matters
Lice? Not my child!
My child picked up head lice at his day-care center. How can I prevent this from happening again?
Having head lice is not necessarily a sign of uncleanliness or poor health habits. In fact, it is less a health threat than it is a nuisance. According to the National Pediculosis Association, head lice infestation can occur in people of all ages and both sexes. The problem is most prevalent in young schoolchildren, and some public health groups estimate that 12 million youngsters are infected annually.
Known by entomologists as Pediculus humanus varcapitis, head lice are blood-sucking parasites. These grayish-colored insects are about the size of a sesame seed and can thrive only in human scalp and hair. They hatch from small eggs, called nits, which are attached to the base of individual hairs. The eggs hatch in about 10 days and the new lice reach maturity in about two weeks. Head lice proliferate quickly -- female lice can lay about 90 eggs in their 20- to 30-day lifetime -- so the problem needs to be treated promptly.
"One of the reasons for the spread of head lice is overcrowding," says Candace Lapidus, M.D. "That is why you often see outbreaks in day-care centers and schools."
Persistent itching of the head and the back of the neck can indicate head lice infestation, according to Lapidus, who is director of pediatric and adolescent dermatology at Boston Medical Center and assistant professor of pediatrics and dermatology at Boston University School of Medicine. Parents should look for nits attached to individual hairs. (They can be seen by the naked eye but are best identified with the aid of a magnifying glass.) Parents should also check their children for infected scratch marks or a rash on the scalp. Lapidus says that most cases of head lice are diagnosed when children visit their physicians for scalp infections caused by vigorous scratching.
Treatment for head lice begins with one of several over-the-counter shampoos designed to kill the lice and nits. Most of these products rely on permethrin as an active ingredient since it is nontoxic for humans. Neither regular nor medicated dandruff shampoos will solve the problem. Hair should then be combed with a fine-tooth comb to remove the nits. If the lice develop a resistance to these products, your child's physician may prescribe a more powerful treatment product.
Even after all lice are removed from the hair and scalp, there could still be a danger of reinfestation because lice can survive or their own for up to four days. In addition, nits can lie dormant for several weeks, then hatch to reinfest your family. Lapidus recommends washing clothes and other articles in hot water and detergent and machine drying or dry-cleaning them to kill any remaining lice. Combs and brushes should be soaked in a bleach solution and washed in hot, soapy water.
"In addition to treating the lice with special shampoo," Lapidus says, "parents need to be diligent about washing bed linens, pillows, blankets, and clothing, as well as vacuuming beds, mattresses, furniture, car seats, and anything else that is likely to have come in contact with the lice.
"Teachers and school nurses need to be educated about how to identify head lice, and they in turn need to educate parents about identifying it, treating it, and preventing its spread,"she says. If parents notice that their child has head lice, they must notify the child's school or day-care center immediately so preventive measures can be taken and the other parents alerted to the outbreak.
Before the problem gets worse, Lapidus says, "parents should heed the warning signs. If your children are constantly scratching their heads, don't ignore it. Check their hair and scalp for lice, bring them to the doctor for diagnosis and treatment, and notify their school or day-care center so the proper precautions can be taken."
"Health Matters" is written in cooperation with staff members of Boston Medical Center. For more information on head lice or other health matters, call 638-6767.