By Jonews Reporter
SCHOOL activities bring children into close contact with each other, whether they're playing, learning, eating or communicating. This makes them vulnerable to contracting and transmitting parasites and viruses.
Head lice are one of the most common of the parasites that children can catch and even extreme measures are no guarantee that you child will not get head lice.
Instead, parents are urged to check their children's hair frequently and to treat the problem promptly.
"Head lice are extremely contagious and should be treated with the same caution as other communicable diseases. To treat this correctly, all one has to do is break the chain of transmission," said assistant director of communicable diseases with the City's Health Department, Antonia Barnard. This means taking prompt action.
The local health department issues a pamphlet to schools advising teachers and parents on how to detect and treat head lice.
The City's Department of Health intervened and deployed nurses to help check and treat children in schools where the infestation was out of control, Barnard added.
Head lice have been around for ages and dried up lice and their eggs have even been found on Egyptian mummies.
Head lice are not fussy about hair length or condition. Basically, anyone who has hair can contract head lice. Although not life threatening, head lice are a nuisance and can be embarrassing.
Head lice are spread via direct contact among children or indirectly via items such as hats, combs, hairbrushes and headphones. Remember, having head lice does not mean children are unclean.
As they are parasitic, they cannot infest or survive in any area other than the human head.
Explain to your child that it is unhygienic to use anyone's hairbrushes and combs.
However, it must be noted that not all children have an itching scalp so it is important to check the hair regularly.
Head lice cannot be mistaken for dandruff, which is dull and loose enough to fall out. Nits are firmly attached to the hair.
Parents can get preparations, in the form of aerosols, lotions or powders, from their local pharmacy. No prescription is needed, but parents must be aware that the preparations contain an insecticide that kills the lice. All preparations are poisonous and can be absorbed through the skin so they need to be used with care. Parents are advised not to use treatments as a preventative measure, rather be certain that the child does actually have head lice.
Over the counter treatments combined with physically picking out the nits is the only effective way of treating head lice. Ordinary shampoos will not kill lice. A fine-toothed comb can be used to remove most of the nits. Those remaining need to be taken out by hand.
Once the hair has been treated, a solution of one part vinegar to two parts water can be washed through the hair. This makes it easier to remove the nits.
Parents are advised to wash and iron bedding, pillows, hats and clothes. Seams of mattresses and pillows also need to be ironed. Vacuuming is recommended to pick up fallen hairs with nits attached from upholstered furniture, carpets and beds.
Remember, if your child has head lice he or she may not return to school until completely free of lice or nits. A certificate must be obtained from the local clinic.
|
Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as:
|
