There have been parents who are getting concerned about the outbreak of head lice and how it can affect their children. They may have gotten a school report that a student in their child's class has been found to be infected with it. However, experts say there is no need to panic.
According to news9.com, Dr. Karen Sheehan, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago said that head lice don't carry any diseases. It also doesn't mean poor parenting or housekeeping when your child gets infected with head lice. She also explained that there is no need for teachers to send children with head lice home early. She said that since these insects move by crawling and can't hop or fly, as long as children's head are apart, there is no reason for the head lice to spread.
Dr. Sheehan also said that the most accurate way to know if someone is infected with head lice is when they start moving. There may also be times when we can see nits, or lice eggs. It is usually found one-quarter-inch of the scalp. This may also suggest that a person has lice, however, it does not confirm that the person is infested, she explained. If the nits are found more than a quarter of an inch from the scalp, there is a possibility that it is an old infestation or maybe it's just dandruff or dirt and not really head lice, US News reported.
In a recent study, it was reported that lice in almost half of the United States are now resistant to pyrethroids which are over-the-counter products that used to treat lice infections. Experts also suggested that if you suspect your child to have head lice, you should ask your pediatrician if a prescription treatment is needed, because there are several prescription remedies for it. If you think you can manage it still, you can use a fine-tooth comb or a commercial hair treatment service.
It is very important to remind your children not to share personal items such as combs, brushes and hats to lower down the risk of having head lice. All family members should also be checked to make sure no one is infected.
