3 Common Ways Lice Spread
Being 1/8th of an inch in length,the head louse is tiny yet quite effective. The main evidence of its success as a species is that we humans have,so far,not been able to get rid of them.In fact, what’s more surprising is that these wingless critters have developed amazing resistance to some of the chemicals that were previously used to kill them.
Let us take a look at three common ways through which lice spread from one head to another and how you can prevent them:
Head-to-Head Contact
This is the most common form of lice transmission. Lice do not jump, fly or swim. They can only crawl their way from one head to another.This is the reason that most victims of lice infestation are children aged 3 to 11 years.Kids hug and play and their heads come in contact with each other many times throughout the day. As a parent, you know how hard it is to prevent this is.
Sharing Personal Items
It is not only the human head that lice can survive on. It has been found that they can do just fine for 55 hours without being on a human head. This means that personal items, such as brushes, combs, towels, headphones, caps, etc.can also provide an effective means of transport for lice.Sharing lockers with a kid who already has lice provides an easy way for the lice to transmit to your kid’s belongings and then to his or her head.
Engaging in Contact Sports
Sports such as rugby and soccer cause the players to come into close contact with each other. As these tiny bugs are quick to react, they can easily spread from one head to another without the two kids knowing it.
How to Prevent It
Let us take a look at three common ways through which lice spread from one head to another and how you can prevent them:
Head-to-Head Contact
This is the most common form of lice transmission. Lice do not jump, fly or swim. They can only crawl their way from one head to another.This is the reason that most victims of lice infestation are children aged 3 to 11 years.Kids hug and play and their heads come in contact with each other many times throughout the day. As a parent, you know how hard it is to prevent this is.
Sharing Personal Items
It is not only the human head that lice can survive on. It has been found that they can do just fine for 55 hours without being on a human head. This means that personal items, such as brushes, combs, towels, headphones, caps, etc.can also provide an effective means of transport for lice.Sharing lockers with a kid who already has lice provides an easy way for the lice to transmit to your kid’s belongings and then to his or her head.
Engaging in Contact Sports
Sports such as rugby and soccer cause the players to come into close contact with each other. As these tiny bugs are quick to react, they can easily spread from one head to another without the two kids knowing it.
How to Prevent It
- Regularly comb your child’s hair
- Make it a routine to check your kid’s head for lice. Use a fine-toothed nit comb to remove any nits or lice that you find.
- Make sure that your kids do not share combs, brushes, towels or other personal items with other kids.
- Discourage your kids from engaging in activities that require head-to-head contact.
- Use a professional lice treatment service to get rid of the lice once and for all
