Here - Health Promotion Agency

Illness and accidents
96
BUG BUSTING
For more information on
head lice detection and
eradication check the
Community Hygiene
Concern website:
www.chc.org/bugbusting/
HEAD LICE
Head lice are tiny insects and are
slightly smaller than a match
head. They can be difficult to see.
Lots of children get head lice. It
makes no difference whether their
hair is clean or dirty. They catch
them just by coming into contact
with someone who is infested.
When heads touch, the lice
simply walk from one head to the
other. They cannot jump or fly.
Signs of head lice
●
● A rash on the scalp.
● Lice droppings (a black powder,
like fine pepper, may be seen on
pillowcases).
● Eggs/nits – the lice lay eggs that
are dull and well camouflaged,
and hatch after about seven–ten
days. Nits are the empty eggshells,
about the size of a small pinhead.
They are white and shiny and
may be found further down the
scalp, particularly behind the ears.
They may be mistaken for
dandruff, but, unlike dandruff,
they’re firmly glued to the hair
and cannot be shaken off.
Head itching – this is not always
the first sign. Lice have usually
been on the scalp for three or four
months before the head starts to
itch, or they may not cause
itching.
Checking for head lice
Lice are most easily detected by
fine toothcombing really wet hair.
Wet your child’s hair and part it
about 30 times. Comb each section
carefully with a plastic, fine-tooth nit
comb. This should be done over a
pale surface, such as a paper towel
or white paper, or over a basin of
water or when your child is in the
bath. Any lice present may be seen
on the scalp or the comb, or may
fall on the paper or in the water.
They are usually grey or brown
in colour.
Treatment of head lice
There are two ways of dealing
with the problem.
‘Wet combing’ or non-insecticide
method
●
●
●
●
●
Wash the hair in the normal way
with an ordinary shampoo.
Using lots of hair conditioner and
while the hair is very wet, comb
through the hair from the roots
with a fine tooth comb. Make
sure the teeth of the comb slot
into the hair at the roots with
every stroke.
Clear the comb of lice between
each stroke with a tissue or paper
towel.
Wet lice find it difficult to escape,
and the hair conditioner makes
the hair slippy and harder for
them to keep a grip, so that
removal with the comb is easier.
Repeat this routine every three
to four days for two weeks so
that any lice emerging from the
eggs are removed before they
can spread.
Lotions
Lotions currently available to treat
head lice contain insecticides: either
malathion, phenothrin, permethrin
or carbaryl. Lotions containing
carbaryl can only be obtained on
prescription from your doctor. The
others may be bought from
pharmacists or obtained on
prescription. Research has indicated
that lotions containing a silicone
compound, dimeticone, mayalso be
effective. Your school nurse, health
visitor, pharmacist or GP
can advise you on which one to use.