Health Highlights | Lice
Key takeaways:
- Lice are tiny insects that sit on your scalp. They spread from shared objects or direct contact and cause itchiness for a few days.
- For a mild first case, you can treat lice at home with over-the-counter kits. Also, be sure to clean your home thoroughly. Put bedsheets in the dryer to kill the pests.
- Federal guidelines say kids don't need to miss much school for lice.
It can cause panic for parents, but it doesn't have to.
We're talking about head lice, something seen often in doctor's offices.
The good news for parents: in most cases, your child doesn't have to miss school and can be treated with over-the-counter remedies.
Lice typically spread when you share objects like a comb or hat or when you have head-to-head contact with someone.
Itchiness is the primary symptom, and the infestation usually lasts seven to ten days.
You can take your child to their pediatrician if you feel it's needed.
But for a mild first case of lice, over-the-counter products at home, like the Nix® or Rid® treatment kits, may do the trick.
To prevent lice from coming back, keeping a clean home goes a long way, says Emily Isom, a certified medical assistant in pediatrics at OSF HealthCare.
“Spray the couches, bedding and floors with sprays that are for lic. You have to vaccuum,” Isom says. “You have to bag every stuffed animal for at least two weeks to suffocate the lice. Take the sheets off the bed every day and dry them on high heat until you know the lice are gone.”
Isom suggests checking with your child's school to see how it handles lice. Also, look at your kid's scalp often to catch lice early.