The Dreaded Head Lice

Summer has quickly come to an end and the kiddos are back to school.  Hurray!  With the new school year upon us, there is one phone call every parent dreads “Sorry but your child has head lice.”  Don’t worry you are not alone.  Unfortunately, head lice are a very common problem that affects millions of people each year.  We know that doesn’t necessarily make you feel better, but at least you are not alone. The CDC recommends the following steps to prevent and control the spread of head lice. 

• Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play and other activities at home, school, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, and camp).
• Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons, or barrettes.
• Do not share combs, brushes, or towels. Disinfest combs and brushes used by an infected person by soaking them in hot water (at least 130°F) for 5-10 minutes.
• Do not lie on beds, couches, pillows, carpets, or stuffed animals that have recently been in contact with an infected person.
• Machine wash and dry clothing, bed linens, and other items that an infected person wore or used during the 2 days before treatment using the hot water (130°F) laundry cycle and the high heat drying cycle. Clothing and items that are not washable can be dry-cleaned OR sealed in a plastic bag and stored for 2 weeks.
• Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay. However, spending much time and money on housecleaning activities is not necessary to avoid re-infestation by lice or nits that may have fallen off the head or crawled onto furniture or clothing.
• Do not use fumigant sprays or fogs; they are not necessary to control head lice and can be toxic if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

Ok you did everything you could to prevent them, but now your child has head lice.  What should you do? Most over the counter lice shampoos (Nix or Rid) work well to combat lice. Using the medication as directed is often all that is needed.  If that does not do the trick, your dermatologist can prescribe a prescription shampoo or cream to treat the lice, although these prescriptions are not always suitable for children. There are many home remedies that can be used as well, although there have been limited studies on their effectiveness. Home remedies include combing the lice out or smothering the lice out by treating the hair with essential oils, coconut shampoos and or Cetaphil.  We hope you do not get that call this year, but if you do there are very effective OTC treatments available.