HEAD LICE AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE

Transcription

1 HEAD LICE AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE

2 ORIGIN Lice have been around since the 16 th century B.C. Egyptians describe a lice remedy using date flour.

3 WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT LICE? They are very small, approx. 1.5 to 4 mm in length, about the size of a sesame seed. Lice do not carry disease.

4 Lice do not jump, hop or fly. Lice crawl very fast. They avoid light. Lice can adapt their color to their surroundings from red, brown, black to grey-white.

5 LICE LIFE CYCLE Females lay 5-10 eggs per day. Eggs are laid close to the scalp. They hatch in 7-10 days. The eggs are called nits. The female can lay up to 300 eggs in her 30 day lifetime.

6 NITS Nits are often found at nape of neck, behind ears, and the crown of head. Nits are small, oval shaped, and cream-colored, about 1/16 th of an inch. Nits are fixed to the hair shaft with a cement like glue.

7 NIT STAGES Nits will not blow away like lint or dandruff. Nits hatch in 7-10 days.

8 NIT LIFE CYCLE

9 LICE SURVIVAL Lice can survive 24 hours without a human host. They can survive shampooing or swimming. Exposure to temperatures of 125 F for five minutes is lethal.

10 HOW DO I GET IT? The primary mode of transmission is DIRECT head-to-head/body contact. Girls are infested approximately twice as often as boys, probably because they share more personal items. Hair length appears to be irrelevant.

11 HOW DO I GET IT? (part 2) Indirect contact: combs/brushes sleeping bags, bedding scarves, hats, coats stuffed animals movie theater seats hair scrunchies and bows camps, activities that include sharing costumes

12 SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Frequent head scratching, although not everyone will itch. Red marks sometimes at nape of neck. Presence of nits. Sighting of live lice. Sleeplessness- lice prefer darkness so they are more active at night.

13 TREATMENTS There are many reported cures on the internet but they have little or no effect on nits. You can not smother nits with Vaseline, olive oil or mayonnaise. There is no data to support the idea that vinegar will loosen the glue that holds the nit to the hair shaft.

14 TREATMENTS (part 2) We suggest you call your physician for a recommendation. OTC Products include: Nix, Rid, Pronto Plus, A200, Triple X, R & C. Permethrin 1% is recommended as the first-line therapy by American Academy of Pediatrics.

15 Treatments (part 3) Prescription Medications: Has to be ordered by a physician. Malathion lotion 0.5%; Brand name product: Ovide* Benzyl alcohol lotion (5%); Brand name product: Ulesfia lotion*

16 CAUTION Although Lindane shampoo 1% is approved by the FDA for the treatment of head lice, it is not recommended as a first-line therapy. Overuse, misuse, or accidentally swallowing Lindane can be toxic to the brain and other parts of the nervous system; its use should be restricted to patients for whom prior treatments have failed or who cannot tolerate other medications that pose less risk.

17 Steps for Successful Nit Removal Follow the exact directions of the product you choose. Special metal combs are usually more helpful. Damp (not wet hair) should be divided into four sections and clipped to hold in place. Start at the top of the head in the section you have chosen. Lift a one inch wide tuft of hair. Comb with a firm, even motion from the scalp to the end of the hair.

18 Continuing. Make sure the teeth of the comb are as deep into the tuft of hair as they can go. Comb all the way to the end of each tuft of hair. Use clips/bobby pins to pin back each tuft after you have combed out the nits. Continue the same process for each section of the entire head.

19 Continuing. If the hair dries during combing, dampen slightly with water (spray). After the entire head has been combed, rinse thoroughly. Metal combs can be boiled for 10 minutes and reused. Manual removal of nits is the best option whenever possible, or snip the individual hair shaft between the nit and the scalp.

20 Tips The use of blow dryers and/or curling irons for prevention is helpful because lice do not like the increase in temperature. Parents should check their child s head daily for at least 10 days for signs of reinfestation after treatment. Prevention requires diligence in checking your child s head.

21 Clean-up Wash clothes, bed linens and towels in hot water using 130 F and dry on hot cycle for at least 20 minutes. Items not machine dryable or washable must be stored at room temperature in a tightly sealed bag for two weeks. Soak combs, brushes etc. in HOT water at least 130 F and soak for 5-10 minutes. Vacuum everywhere SLOWLY. Check all family members.

22 Be Careful! Kerosene or gasoline should NEVER be used. Food products applied to the hair provide a medium for bacterial growth. Do not use fumigant sprays; they can be toxic if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

23 Help us to help you We ask parents to notify the school nurse if they discover a case of head lice on their child. Based on the information we receive, we will proceed with an appropriate screening plan. Mass screenings are ineffective as a method of control and they result in a loss of instructional time. The first line of defense is parental monitoring of their child for signs of lice.

24 MYTHS Lice are more commonly found on people who have poor personal hygiene or live in dirty houses. NOT TRUE! Lice love a clean head. Lice carry germs and disease. NOT TRUE! You can get lice from your dog, cat, gerbil or other furry pet. NOT TRUE! Lice only like humans. Lice can fly, jump, or hop from one person to another. NOT TRUE!

25 IN CONCLUSION Any questions or comments, please contact your school nurse.

26 Resources National Association of School Nurse; Current Concepts in Pediculosis Management, Judith A. Vessey PhD, RN, FAAN. Issues and Emerging Therapies in the Treatment of Head Lice Presentation; Adelaide A. Hebert MD., Professor of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical School at Houston. Headlice.org. website Center for Disease Control