 The head louse is a tiny, parasitic insect that lives among human hairs and feeds on extremely small amounts of blood drawn from the scalp. Lice (the plural of louse) are a very common problem, especially for kids ages 3 years to 12 years girls more often than boys.
Their bites may cause your child's scalp to become itchy and inflamed and persistent scratching may lead to skin irritation and even infection. Head Louse aren't dangerous and they don't spread disease, but they are contagious and can just be downright annoying.
How Can I Tell if My Child Has Lice?
Though very small, lice can be seen by the naked eye. What you or your child's doctor might see by thoroughly examining your child's head:
Lice eggs (called nits), which look like tiny yellow, tan, or brown dots before they hatch. After hatching, the remaining shell looks white or clear.
Scratching. With lice bites come itching and scratching. However, the itching may not always start right away - that depends on how sensitive your child's skin is to the lice. |
How Are Lice Treated?
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.
|
