3 Simple Steps to Help You Identify Head Lice

Head lice are extremely common in the United States. They’re mostly common among pre-school and elementary school kids. Past research has found that around 6 to 12 million children aged 3–11 get affected by head lice every year in the country. Though lice are not believed to transmit harmful diseases, a skin infection can certainly occur in some people. Most people wrongly presume that head lice are synonymous with hygiene, but this is not necessarily true. In fact, they spread when there is direct contact with another person who has head lice. This contact usually occurs at school, home, or even during social gatherings. Wearing infested hats or scarves can also transfer head lice. In this blog, we will discuss some steps to help you identify head lice.

But first—keep your calm.

This may seem uncanny, but it’s extremely important for you to keep your calm and not panic when trying to identify head lice. It’s very common for people to start panicking when they spot head lice on their children. They get embarrassed and associate it with being unclean. In such circumstances, it is important for you to reassure your child that it’s okay and that there’s a solution for everything. Now, more on identifying symptoms of head lice.

Compulsive itching

Oftentimes, the symptoms associated with head lice are mild in nature and are hard to identify at first. One of the main signs you need to look out for is repeated itching. If your child is compulsively scratching their head, neck, or temples—don’t ignore it. Itching constantly means the body is reacting to the saliva of the lice as they recklessly feed on our blood. The saliva of head lice makes you irritable as it comprises of an anticoagulant that leads to a severe allergic reaction.

Visually inspect the hair

Use a bright light and a fine-toothed head lice comb. Make sure your child’s hair is wet as this will help you see the lice. Stay away from OTC treatments and home remedies like putting kerosene on your child’s hair or dousing it in mayonnaise. They won’t work at all and just end up damaging the hair. One of the most effective ways to get treated for head lice is to seek the help of a professional lice removal clinic like Lice Troopers. If you’re looking to get an efficient lice treatment in Pembroke Pines and Hollywood, we can help! Our crew can come in and take care of the job in a mere two hours! For more information, call us now at 800-403-5423!