$Unique_ID{BRK00127}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{What Can Be Done to Prevent the Spread of Lice?}
$Subject{nits lice causes treatment Infection Infections Parasite Parasites
head hat comb brush headsets child hair eggs louse scalp nit picking headset
children egg}
$Volume{A-20}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What Can Be Done to Prevent the Spread of Lice?


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QUESTION:  School has just started and we already have a note from the school
nurse that someone in my daughter's class has head lice.  This seems to happen
every year at this time, and my skin crawls when I think of those things in my
house.  What can be done to prevent the spread of these nasty critters?

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ANSWER:  Prevention (and you know how I love that word) depends upon
education, education and more education.  Head lice have been with the human
population for millions of years, bear us no malice, but will accept every
invitation we offer to join our household.  They get from one head to another
by hitching a ride on some convenient vehicle, a borrowed hat, a shared comb
or brush, or even the headsets of a "Walkman".  They don't jump (fleas do
that) so they can't leap from place to place, and proper hygiene can keep them
confined.  If your child understands the need to refrain from borrowing caps
and the like from others, and does not lend in return, you are half way home.
Still, with a note from the nurse, you would be wise to check your child's
hair carefully for signs of nits.  They are small white specks, firmly
attached to the hair near the root, and are the eggs of the louse.  If you
find any, seek the counsel of your pharmacist or physician as there are many
effective shampoos, that can eradicate the unwanted visitors.  Special combs
are provided to remove the nits from the hair, and you will have to search the
scalp carefully, section by section, to be certain you've removed them all.
Leave just one, and more are sure to reappear.  And you will have had a
practical example of the origin of the term "nit-picking" to help further your
education.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.