Super lice are spreading across the nation, and that means that it is important to be vigilant with personal hygiene practices, especially for school-age children.
According to Fox News, these lice have been found in 25 states so far, and they are continuing to spread. In the past, over-the-counter and prescription pesticides were able to eradicate the majority of head lice cases. Now, they only work about one-quarter of the time.
While experts disagree about whether or not this is due to misuse of medications or simple evolution, everyone agrees that prevention is the best way to tackle these super bugs.
Protect Personal Clothing
Throughout their little lives, you have taught your children to share. However, this is one time when you want them to be selfish. Teach your child not to share any clothing or accessories that touches their head with friends. Hats, headbands and sunglasses are all easy ways to transfer super lice. Remember that long hair touches coats and sweaters, too. Tell your child to store these items where they do not touch another child’s clothing such as in a locker rather than a pile on the playground.
Use Separate Grooming Products at Home
By now, you have likely shared with your kids not to use their friend’s hairbrushes and combs. However, you may have a family hairbrush sitting on your bathroom counter. While that may be convenient, it is an easy way to spread super lice to the entire family if one member gets them. Give each family member a personal hairbrush. This will help contain the problem to one person, which makes treatment easier.
Know The Signs of Head Lice
It is important to be able to catch a case of head lice quickly. This will help treatment be more effective, and you can prevent everyone else from getting it. Therefore, parents of school age children will need to check their children’s heads regularly for lice. This is easy to do when you are washing or brushing their hair. Look for small, wingless insects that are running in their hair. You may also see white or light-brown eggs that look like dandruff on the hair. However, you can tell that they are eggs by giving them a flick. Unlike dandruff that will move, nits are held to the hair with a special type of natural glue that will keep them in place.
Practice Preventative Combing
In addition to checking your child’s hair, many parents are taking the extra preventative step of using a lice comb once a week. By combing, you can catch a small case of super lice early and remove eggs before they hatch and become a full-blown case. Special electric combs are available that shock the lice while the tiny comb teeth pull out the eggs.
Keep It Clean
The concept that super lice only occur in dirty homes is a myth. Lice don’t care about the dirt on your floor, but they do care about finding a host to live on. For this reason, some extra housekeeping can prevent lice. This is especially important when it comes to clothing and bedding that come in close contact with your family members. Wash and dry sheets, pillows and comforters on the hot cycle, and always wash bedding after you have an overnight guest.
The prospect of having lice in the house is enough to make anyone feel anxious. Yet, there are things you can do to avoid catching these annoying critters. In addition to prevention strategies, have a backup plan for how you will treat the lice since you now know that over-the-counter medications will not work. By taking a full-on approach, you can protect your family from super lice and rest assured that you will not be left grappling with eradicating these pests.
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