A Safe And Effective Treatment For Head Lice

By belaray
•
16 Jun, 2009

It’s summertime, and kids will soon be off to camp! No parent wants to get that phone call saying that their child has head lice. And no parent wants to discover that their child has brought lice home! Head lice are insects and parasites which can be found on a person’s scalp, behind the ears, […]

It’s summertime, and kids will soon be off to camp! No parent wants to get that phone call saying that their child has head lice. And no parent wants to discover that their child has brought lice home! Head lice are insects and parasites which can be found on a person’s scalp, behind the ears, and near the neckline at the back of the neck. Sometimes head lice are even found on the eyebrows and eyelashes. Head lice are most common in preschool and elementary school children. The egg of a louse is often called a nit. These eggs are very small – about the size of a knot in thread – and they can be very hard to see.

Sometimes they may be mistaken for dandruff or hair spray droplets. Head lice do not transmit disease, but they are a nuisance. Parents often get upset, or even angry, when they learn their child has head lice. But having head lice is a fairly common problem, and has nothing to do with good hygiene or good parenting. In fact, good health and hygiene habits or a clean house or school have nothing to do with getting head lice.

So, who gets head lice? Basically, anyone who has head-to-head contact with someone who already has head lice is at the greatest risk. Children 3 to 11 years old get head lice most often. People that live in the same house as a person who has head lice also often get head lice. Although it is much less common, head lice can also spread through contact with objects and personal items, like hats, scarves, coats, or hair ribbons that were recently used by a person who has head lice. It is also uncommon to spread head lice by using someone else’s combs or brushes because lice have difficulty hanging on to smooth surfaces. Even though it is rare, head lice can be spread by lying on a pillow or bed that was used recently by someone who already had lice. And don’t blame your pets; dogs and cats don’t get or spread human lice!

If you or your child have head lice, it is important to treat right away. Several products are available over the counter or with a doctor’s prescription. One of our favorites is the Nuvo Method. We have found this to be both extremely efficacious, and completely safe. Additional information about the Nuvo Method can be found here. Following use of the Nuvo Method, the Lice Identification Test (LIT) can be utilized to ensure adequate treatment. Here is how the LIT is done.

The Lice Identification Test (LIT) is a handy and reliable way of identifying lice in the scalp.

It can be especially useful to answer three common questions:
1) Does my child actually have head lice?
2) For a child who had a lice treatment recently: Does my child still have head lice?
3) For a child being treated now: Is my child now cured… is it safe to stop weekly treatment?

You perform an LIT by taking all the lotion you comb out during the Nuvo method treatment and putting this lotion on a pale or white hand towel. Once the lotion is absorbed by the towel, you look for lice on top of the towel. A bright light and magnification can make this job easier.

You must be careful to be sure that your identification is correct. You must find actual baby, teenage, or adult lice. Finding nits (louse eggs) does not count. These photos may help you identify real lice and nits.

Be careful! Frequently you will find small objects on the towel which are not lice. Kids’ hair often contains miscellaneous objects such as grass, small pieces of leaves, bits of paper, flakes of scalp scale, and little chunks of dirt. You must distinguish between these “fakes” and real lice.

If two LITs, done one week apart, show no lice, then there is no active lice infestation. If you discover that your child has head lice, let your child’s camp or school staff know so others can be sure to check their children. CDC does not recommend treating people who do not already have head lice – only those that are confirmed to have them.

A Safe And Effective Treatment For Head Lice

Adapted from source

Nuvo Method reproduced with permission from Dr. Dale Pearlman

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