Head lice are parasites that feed off of human blood. While lice don’t spread disease and aren’t even remotely dangerous, they are inconvenient, uncomfortable, and very contagious. Additionally, lice can be very hard to get rid of, and require some hard work and diligence to completely remove. Kids are especially prone to lice, due to their close contact with other kids in school, sports, and other activities. Talking about lice is an important conversation to have with your kids. For tips on why, and most importantly, how to talk to your kids about these pesky parasites, continue reading.
Explaining the Symptoms of Lice
The first thing that you should do is to explain the symptoms of a lice outbreak to your child, so that he or she can immediately let you know if they’re experiencing any of the given symptoms. The most common symptoms of lice include intense itching of the scalp, drying and reddening of the scalp arising from the itching and a ticklish feeling near the scalp, hairline or behind the ears. If your child has any of these symptoms, it is important to do an immediate and thorough inspection of his or her head for lice.
Talk about Lice
You should also talk to your children about lice, explaining exactly what they are, how they spread and the fact that anyone can get it. Unfortunately, getting lice is often associated with being unclean or dirty. However, this is a common misconception that you as a parent should absolutely do your best to dispel. Anyone can get lice, and those with great personal hygiene habits are just as likely—if not more so—to catch lice. You should also explain to your child that someone that has lice isn’t ‘bad’ or ‘dirty’ even though he or she may have to miss school until the lice are completely gone. Taking the stigma away from head lice will help encourage your little one to let you know if he or she gets lice.
Practice Lice Prevention
Finally, you should talk to your children in detail about how lice are spread and how your child can protect himself or herself from getting lice. Lice are highly contagious, and can be spread through close head-to-head contact, sharing of combs, brushes or hats or other items. In order to reduce your child’s risk of getting an infestation, encourage him or her to only use a personal hairbrush, hat, comb, etc. However, if you’re aware that your child does in fact share objects, don’t worry; lice aren’t dangerous.
Learn What to Do if Your Child Gets Lice
If your child does happen to end up with a lice infestation, it’s important that you know how to treat it. The best remedy for a lice infestation is medicated hair products—the ones formulated to get rid of lice are clearly labeled. Since most of these products are pesticide-based, you might choose to spare your child’s scalp and reduce his or her exposure by choosing a pesticide-free alternative. Whichever you choose, make sure to follow the directions completely and to comb your child’s hair thoroughly with a nit comb after it’s been washed. Most treatments come packaged with a fine-toothed comb, to help make sure to remove the lice or nits remaining in the hair after the treatment process.
In addition to treating your child, it’s important to treat any personal objects that could also be carrying lice. All bed sheets, hats, clothing, even stuffed animals, should be washed and dried on a high heat cycle. Anything that cannot be laundered may need to be replaced or should be boiled if they are items like hair combs, brushes, clips, etc.
Don’t Panic
As a parent, it’s your responsibility to take control and not panic. Lice can seem like a terrifying thing, but it’s not as big a deal as everyone makes it out to be. Usually, the social stigma associated with lice is the worst part about the parasite. If your child gets lice, the best thing you can do is to reassure him or her that getting lice is a normal thing and that he or she hasn’t done anything wrong. Give lots of extra positive attention to your child, inspect calmly, and simply treat as required.