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The information provided by The Pediatric Group, PLLC website is information of a general nature and is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be relied on for personal medical reasons and should not be relied upon as providing specific medical advice or for diagnosis or treatment. All information contained on this website is presented as is, without any warranties of any kind, express or implied.
Please note that visiting this website alone does not establish a physician-patient relationship with any physician engaged by The Pediatric Group, PLLC. You should consult your own physician for specific advice for your own personal situation.
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Head Lice
Definition:
- Lice: Gray bugs, approximately 1/16 inch long, that
move very quickly.
- Nits: White eggs laid by lice, generally seen
along the hair shaft near the skin. They look like white lint or
dandruff, but cannot
be easily shaken or brushed off like lint or dandruff.
Primary symptom: Itchy head, sometimes accompanied by a
scalp
rash.
 If you have a child in daycare or school, you have probably had a least
one scare about head lice. Head lice (Pediculus capitis)
are
small parasitic insects adapted to living mainly on the scalp and neck
hairs of their human host. Long associated with people, head lice have
actually been recovered from prehistoric mummies! Head lice are equal
opportunity parasites; they infect people of all economic classes, races, and backgrounds in the same way. Their presence does not indicate a lack of hygiene or
sanitation practiced by their host. Head lice are mainly acquired by
direct head-to-head contact with an infested person's hair, but may
more rarely be transferred with shared combs, hats and other hair
accessories. They may also remain on bedding or upholstered furniture
for a brief period. Head lice can neither fly nor jump, and are also
unlikely to wander far from their preferred habitat. Lice and their
eggs cannot burrow into the scalp1.
Treatment for head lice is not complicated and can easily be
done at
home.
- Apply a lice-treatment medicated shampoo.
- Buy Nix® 1% anti-lice crème rinse. This
product does not require a prescription.
- Pour about 2 ounces of the shampoo onto dry
hair. Add a little warm water to work up a
lather. Scrub the hair and scalp. Be sure to work the
shampoo into all
the hair down to the roots. Leave the shampoo on for a full 10
minutes or it
won’t kill all the lice. Then rinse hair thoroughly and dry it
with a towel.
- Remove the dead nits.
- Wait 8 or more hours after treatment with Nix® is
completed. This will allow the
medication to soak through the nits.
- To loosen the nits from the hair shaft, use a solution of half
vinegar and half warm water
applied to the head. Wrap your child’s head in a towel and allow
the mixture to
stay on for 30 minutes.
- After the 30 minutes have passed, start at the base of the hair
shaft with a fine-toothed comb
and comb upwards to remove the nits. Nits can also be pulled out
individually.
- Most schools will not allow children to return to class if nits
are present, even though the
Nix® has killed them.
- Repeat the Nix® treatment in 1 week to kill any nits
that were missed.
- Contagion: Check the heads of
everyone else living in the home. If lice or nits are seen, or
someone else has the onset of an itchy scalp rash,
those persons should also be treated. If your infected child
shares a bed with a sibling, that child should
also be treated.
Prevent a Recurrence:
Vacuum your child’s room. Soak combs and brushes for 1 hour in a
solution containing anti-lice shampoo. Wash your child’s sheets,
blankets, pillow cases, and any clothes worn in the past 3 days in hot
water (140°F kills lice and nits). Items that can’t be washed
(hats, coats, scarves) should be placed in sealed plastic bags for at
least two weeks. Any lice infesting those items should die by the
end of two weeks. It’s not necessary to fumigate the house or use
an anti-lice spray. Teach your children that they should never
share combs, brushes, or hats with school mates and friends.
Some head lice have become resistant to over-the-counter lice
medicines. If your child has a recurrence of head lice or the
problem does not resolve after following the protocol above, contact
our office during regular office hours for additional assistance.
A prescription medication may be necessary, but should not be the first
choice for treatment.
Reference:
1. Pollack RJ, Kiszewski A, Spielman A. Overdiagnosis and
consequent mismanagement of head louse infestations in North America.
Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. 2000; 19:689-693.
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