A lot of excitement comes with words “head lice.”  Many people squirm and orally verbalize “Yuk!.”  Head lice are not deadly!  Relax!  This article, taken from the Harvard School of Public Health and Kids Health For Parents, will provide you with some not-so-yuky advice on how to deal with these little buggers.  Before you get into the main course of this article you need to realize one thing:  The fact that your child has head lice does not mean that you are not a good parent!  It does not mean that your home is dirty!  It certainly does not mean that you should try to hide the fact that your child has them…and do nothing! Do something…read on!

What are head lice, and how do they differ from other lice?

Head lice (Pediculus capitis) are small parasitic insects adapted to living mainly on the scalp and neck hairs of their human host. Their six impressive legs are able to grasp hair shafts and provide a striking example of biological specialization. Long associated with people, head lice have been recovered from prehistoric mummies. Head lice are equal opportunity parasites; they do not respect socio-economic class distinctions. Their presence does not connote a lack of hygiene or sanitation practiced by their host.

Head lice are mainly acquired by direct head-to-head contact with an infested person’s hair, but may infrequently be transferred with shared combs, hats and other hair accessories. They may also remain on bedding or upholstered furniture for a brief period. In North America and Europe, children are more frequently infested than are adults, and Caucasians more frequently than other ethnic groups. Neither able to fly nor jump, lice are also unlikely to wander far from their preferred habitat.

Lice and their eggs are unable to burrow into the scalp. Lice are sometimes referred to as cooties, eggs as nits and infested people as lousy. The infestation by head or body lice is termed pediculiasis, and the associated “disease” pediculosis. Delousing (more properly termed lousing) consists of any method for eliminating an infestation. Chemical treatments directed against lice are pediculicides. Those that kill adult and nymphal lice are sometimes called lousicides; those that kill the developing embryo within the egg are ovicides. This discussion relates to head lice unless specific mention is made of other types of lice.

Head lice derive nutrient by blood-feeding once or more often each day, and cannot survive for more than a day or so at room temperature without ready access to a person’s blood. A nymphal louse hatches from its egg after about 8 days of development, and begins to feed, grow and develop until it attains the adult stage about 9-12 days after hatching. A female louse may deposit more than 100 eggs at a rate of about six eggs each day. Only those eggs deposited by inseminated female lice will hatch. Generally, an infested person has fewer than a dozen active lice on the scalp at any time, but may have hundreds of viable, dead and hatched eggs. With adequate magnification, the developing nymph can be seen within the egg; hatched eggs are nearly transparent (see photos accompanying this site).

Treatment should be considered only when active lice or viable eggs are observed. Itching of the scalp or the perception that something is crawling on the head do not warrant treatment for lice. Without magnification and suitable experience, they may be difficult to correctly distinguish from other material caught in the hair. Amongst presumed “lice” and “nits” submitted by physicians, nurses, teachers and parents, most are simply artifacts such as dandruff, hairspray droplets, scabs, dirt, or other insects (e.g. aphids blown by the wind and caught in the hair). To confirm the identity of suspected material, save a few lice and louse eggs under clear tape on our specimen submission form, and record the requested information. Submit the samples to us or to a qualified physician or entomologist to confirm the identity of the offending creatures (to learn more about this, visit the section: Specimen evaluation).

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Do head lice cause harm?

Head lice rarely (if ever) cause direct harm, and they are not known to transmit infectious agents from person-to-person. Thus, they should not be considered as a medical or a public health problem. These lice may occasionally be burdensome because of annoyance; their presence may cause itching and loss of sleep. The louse’s saliva and feces may sensitize people to their bites, thereby exacerbating the irritation and increasing the chance of secondary infection from excessive scratching.

The greatest harm associated with head lice results from the well-intentioned but misguided use of caustic or toxic substances to eliminate the lice. A few lice on the head should not cause alarm; rather, they present an opportunity for parents to spend the needed time with their children in order to find and remove the offending insects. Grooming can be an effective method to remove lice, and engenders several associated physiological and behavioral benefits as well. Because of unfounded fears, some parents have suggested that children refrain from sharing protective batting or biking helmets. The miniscule risk of acquiring lice from such devices pales in comparison to the hazards averted by helmets.

Head Lice Treatments

Your child’s doctor can recommend a medicated shampoo, cream, or lotion to kill the lice. These may be over-the-counter or prescription medications, depending on what treatments have already been tried. It isn’t uncommon for treatments to be unsuccessful because of incorrect use or because the lice may be resistant to the chemical in the shampoo.

It’s important to follow the directions exactly because these products are insecticides. Applying these medications too much or too frequently can increase the risk of causing harm. Following the directions on the product label is also important to ensure that the treatment works properly. Your child’s doctor may also suggest a special rinse to use on your child’s hair that makes it easier to comb out the nits using a fine-tooth comb.

Medicated lice treatments can usually kill the lice and nits, but it may take a few days for the itching to stop. Your child’s doctor may recommend repeating treatment in 7 to 10 days to make sure all the nits have been killed, to avoid any risk of re-infestation.

If your child is 2 years old or under, you should not use medicated lice treatments. You’ll need to remove the nits and lice by hand.

It’s also a good idea to use a fine-tooth comb on your child’s hair after regular shampooing every 3 to 4 days for 2 weeks. Wetting the hair beforehand is recommended because it temporarily immobilizes the lice and they become easier to comb out.

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Keep in mind that head lice don’t survive long once they fall off a person. So it’s unnecessary to spend a great deal of time and money trying to rid the house of lice. here are some simple steps you can take to help get rid of the lice and their eggs, and help prevent a lice reinfestation:

• Wash all bed linens and clothing that’s been recently worn by anyone in your home who’s infested in very hot water (130 degrees Fahrenheit, or 54.4 degrees Celsius) then put them in the hot cycle of the dryer for at least 20 minutes.

• Dry clean any clothing that isn’t machine washable.

• Have bed linens, clothing, and stuffed animals and plush toys that can’t be washed dry-cleaned. Or, put them in airtight bags for 2 weeks.

• Vacuum carpets and any upholstered furniture (in your home or car).

• Soak hair-care items like combs, barrettes, hair ties or bands, headbands, and brushes in rubbing alcohol or medicated shampoo for 1 hour. You can also wash them in hot water or just throw them away.

Because lice are easily passed from person to person in the same house, other infested family members will also need treatment to prevent the lice from coming back.

In your efforts to get rid of the bugs, there are some things you shouldn’t do. Some don’ts of head lice treatment include:

Don’t use a hair dryer on your child’s hair after applying any of the currently available scalp treatments, because some contain flammable ingredients.
Don’t use a cream rinse or shampoo/conditioner combination before applying lice medication.
Don’t wash your child’s hair for 1 to 2 days after using a medicated treatment.
Don’t use sprays or hire a pest control company to try to get rid of the lice, as they can be harmful.
Don’t use the same medication more than three times on one person. If it doesn’t seem to be working, your child’s doctor may recommend another medication.
Don’t use more than one head lice medication at a time.

Contact your child’s doctor, clinic or health officials for more information. During the school year, contact your child’s school nurse. There’s a chance that other students may have been infected.