HOW TO STAY AWAY FROM LICE THIS SUMMER
Decades of experience in the lice removal business have shown that summer brings a sharp rise in the incidence of this common childhood parasite. The explanation is simple—kids are staying in close quarters at summer camp, they’re sharing personal belongings and then they’re bringing the lice home on their sleeping bags and hairbrushes. Families are staying in cabins and tents, often with other families. Close contact and shared belongings mean the bugs spread fast.
While it can be hard to avoid an infestation under these conditions, there are a few simple preventative steps that families can take to help minimize their risk of arriving home after their vacation with some unwanted souvenirs. Follow these easy steps to stay away from lice this summer:
Make Sure Your Kids Are Lice Free
Preventing outbreaks starts with making sure your own kids are lice free. Before sending kids to summer camp or off to stay with relatives, check them thoroughly for signs of bugs and nits. If necessary, have kids treated prior to camp or vacation.
Keep Personal Belongings Personal
Infestations pass via head-to-head contact and the sharing of personal belongings such as pillows, hairbrushes, towels, hats and other personal items that come into contact with the head or hair. Make sure your kids have everything the need when you send them to camp so they will be less likely to have to borrow from others. Help them learn to politely decline sharing these items with others.
Wash Items before Bringing Them Back into the Household
Before putting the hairbrushes back in the bathroom drawer or hanging the hats in the closet, wash all items that went to camp thoroughly in 130 degree water and then dry in a hot dryer. Items that cannot be washed should be put into plastic bags and isolated for two weeks. Unpack backpacks and suitcases outside or in the garage so as not to bring unwanted visitors into the house.
Check Kids Immediately
Once lice enter the house, they’re hard to get rid of. While kids are often excited to get home and relax after a period of travel, it’s time for a head check. Do an initial inspection of the kids’ heads. Look for bugs and nits, as well as evidence of their presence, which often shows up in the form of red spots around the ears and neck. If you notice signs of an infestation, don’t delay in scheduling your treatment. Early detection means quick removal.
For more information, or to schedule an appointment, house call or school consultation, please visit our website at: www.LiceTroopers.com or call 1-800-403-LICE.
Our Miami treatment center locations are here to serve you:
Bay Harbor Lice Treatment Center, 1005 Kane Concourse, Suite 212, Bay Harbor Island, FL 33154
Coral Gables Lice Treatment Clinic, 2100 Ponce De Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL 33154
Hollywood Treatment Center, 5735 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, FL 33021
