It’s back to school time. It’s exciting for kids because it’s time to reconnect with old friends and make new friends.

It’s exciting for parents because, well… duh.

But back to school time also means some other not so exciting things may be happening.

And it’s only a matter of time before you hear those two words that no parent wants to hear.

Head lice.

So I asked a friend of mine who is an expert in this field if she’d be willing to write a post about this subject because many of us will be affected by lice at one point or another.  

KNOCK ON WOOD, I have never had to visit this friend with any of the kids. But I know she’s the best at what she does. Keep reading to arm yourself this school year with advice from Renee Bento, CEO of All Natural Lice Removal.

Nobody likes to talk about (or even think about) head lice. YUCK. GROSS!!!

But it’s something we can try to prevent. It’s also a topic that has a stigma and misinformation attached to it.

Of course we don’t want to create paranoia or anxiety regarding lice. But arming ourselves with (the correct) information can really be helpful in preventing your child’s (and your) exposure to lice! Knowledge is power. Let’s be proactive this year instead of reactive.

So what can you do?

Educate your kids.

Young children at school and in childcare settings often play very close to one another. This may lead to the spread of head lice. Practice and conversations are the first step!

Try having a talk about personal space and setting some boundaries. Explain what lice is and how to avoid it.

Lice can crawl from one head to another or from an object to your head.

Discuss not sharing personal belongings such as:

• Hair brushes, hair clips, head bands and all other hair accessories
• Helmets, baseball caps
• Hats and scarves
• Head phones or ear buds
• Towels

Wear your hair up.

A pony tail is good, a braid is better, but a bun is the best. This simple act can reduce your child’s risk of getting head lice by 80%!

Spray your child’s hair with lice prevention spray, or hairspray to keep all loose hairs at bay.

Shared spaces increase your risk of sharing lice.

Shared lockers and coat closets, cubbies are places where lice can crawl from one item to another.

Ask your child to keep all personal belonging inside their book bag, and zipped up. Such as coats, hats, and scarves.

When and if your school reports a case of head ice, be proactive by placing items in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes. Book bag, coat, hat, scarf and clothing. If you cannot dry an item you can place it in the freezer for 2 days.

Selfies and hugs are lice spreaders!

“Selfies” are becoming a huge contributor to the spread of head lice.  Talk to your child about head lice and explain what it is and how contagious it can be. Explain not to touch heads when taking selfies.

Kids love to hug one another, especially girls and especially after the long summer break. Fist bumps and high fives are much safer when it comes to sharing head lice. Remember “personal space.”

Check yourself!

Most importantly, “Once a week take a peek!”

Check your child’s head/hair once a week.

Catching head lice early can help eliminate it more easily and help to keep it from spreading throughout your household.

It’s not always easy to know if your child has head lice or not. It is very often misdiagnosed. It can sometimes take up to 5 weeks for someone with head lice to show common signs such at itching. But if you are checking weekly it can help to avoid this.

Nits are usually what you see first. If you have nits, you have to have had a bug. You cannot catch nits.

If you have nits you have head lice.

Nits are yellowish, grey, off white or light brown in color. They are very small, like the seed of a strawberry. They do not move. They are stuck to the hair, cemented to the hair-shaft. You cannot flick or blow them off. You have to use your finger nails to pry them off the hair shaft. The best way to check is to use natural light, like outside or by a window. Start by checking the nape of the neck, then behind their ears, looking at the hair very close to the scalp.

If you are unsure, you could have the school nurse double check or call All Natural Lice Removal and we can do a very thorough head-check.

It’s not your fault!

Remember the only criteria for getting head lice is having hair. Lice has a stigma associated with its name. But it is the second most communicable problem in all schools, second only to the common cold. Lice does not come from poor hygiene, dirt, the earth or trees. It comes from another human’s head.

It has been passed from head to head for millions of years. It’s no one’s fault. If you sit near someone and they sneeze or cough, you are at risk for catching a cold. It’s the same with head lice.

It’s important to stop the stigma, to not be embarrassed, and to tell your child’s friends if your child had or has head lice. If your children’s friends have head lice then your child can get it again. By talking and communicating about head lice we can have the knowledge and power to stop it from spreading to others, and back to your kids.

Don’t freak out.

There are scary stories about “Super Lice” circulating, which makes everyone think of a meaner, uglier bug.  Super lice are the same lice bugs, they are just highly resistant to over the counter chemicals. Many people who have had lice have used several over the counter boxed chemicals and/or a prescription that has failed also. It makes parents very frustrated, because they are trying so hard, and doing everything they know how to, but these bugs and their nits are just “super” resistant.

The way to beat lice is to FOCUS ON THE HEAD, NOT SO MUCH THE HOUSE.

If you have more questions or you find yourself in need of help with lice treatment, visit All Natural Lice Removal online, and if you live in the CT/NY area call (203-702-3379).

 

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