Head Lice - Windsor Essex County Health Unit
Head Lice - Windsor Essex County Health Unit
Head Lice - Windsor Essex County Health Unit
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Cleaning Personal Items• Wash combs, brushes, towels, and all itemsused during treatment in hot, soapy water.• Wash items used in the past 2 days:▪ Clothes▪ Hats▪ Pillowcases▪ Sheets▪ Stuffed animals* Wash all items in hot water and dryin a hot dryer.• Seal items that can’t be washed in aplastic bag for 2 weeks.• Wash or vacuum your child’s car seat cover.• Vacuum to pick up stray lice.• Excessive cleaning is not needed.• Do not use insecticide sprays.Nymphs and adult lice can survive 2 - 3 daysat room temperature away from the head.ReferencesCanadian Paediatric Society. (2004). <strong>Head</strong>lice infestations: A clinical update.Paediatric & Child <strong>Health</strong>, 9(9), 647-651.Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.(2005). Treating head lice infestation.Retrieved July 17 2007, fromhttp://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/lice/factsht_head_lice_treating.htm#how_treatMazurek, C., & Lee, N. (2000). How to managehead lice. [Electronic Version]. WesternJournal Medicine, 172, 342-235.Pollack, R. J. (2007). <strong>Head</strong> lice information.Retrieved July 17 2007, fromhttp://www.hsph.harvard.edu/headlice.htmlFor MoreInformation Call:The <strong>Windsor</strong>-<strong>Essex</strong> <strong>County</strong><strong>Health</strong> <strong>Unit</strong><strong>Windsor</strong>:519-258-2146 ext. 13501005 Ouellette Avenue<strong>Windsor</strong>, ON N9A 4J8Leamington:519-326-5716 ext. 1350215 Talbot Street EastLeamington, ON N8H 3X5<strong>Essex</strong>:519-776-5933 ext. 1350360 Fairview Avenue West, Suite 215<strong>Essex</strong>, ON N8M 3G4<strong>Head</strong><strong>Lice</strong>Toll Free: 1-800-265-5822 ext. 1350Female <strong>Head</strong> LouseE-mail: intake@wechealthunit.orgwww.wechealthunit.org--Male <strong>Head</strong> Louse© <strong>Windsor</strong>-<strong>Essex</strong> <strong>County</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Unit</strong>, October 2007.
Facts on <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Lice</strong>Life Cycle of the LouseHow to Treat <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Lice</strong>How to Remove Nits• Anyone can get head lice.• You can’t get any diseases from head lice.• <strong>Head</strong> lice don’t live on pets.• Itching is NOT a sign to use lice shampoo.Treat for head lice only when nits or liceare found.• <strong>Head</strong> lice don’t fly, jump, or swim.• <strong>Head</strong> lice are passed by head tohead contact.• Research doesn’t support the use of oils orany other natural remedies to kill head lice.• It takes time and patience to treat head lice.Tell children not to share hats, scarves,helmets, and hair accessories.Life Cycle of the LouseYou will control head lice better if youunderstand the life cycle.• An adult louse will lay eggs (also callednits) on hair close to the scalp. Nits arefirmly stuck to the hair.• The nit hatches in 7 - 10 days. This smalllouse is called a nymph.• It takes 7 - 10 days for a nymph to growinto an adult louse.• An adult louse is about the size of apinhead and lives for 30 days.• Each adult louse lays about 150 eggs.These photos are much bigger than life-size.How to Check for <strong>Head</strong> <strong>Lice</strong>• Check children for head lice on aregular basis.• Check for tiny oval shaped nits (eggs)that are firmly stuck to the hair.• Nits do not flake off like dandruff.• Use a bright light to see the nits better.• You may not see any live lice, only nits.• Check the whole head, parting the hairmany times, especially around the earsand nape of the neck.• Check all family members if one member isfound to have head lice.Only treat people who have head lice.Chemical Methods (Topical Pediculicides)• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist beforeusing chemical shampoo treatments forhead lice if:▪ You are pregnant or breastfeeding.▪ Your child is under two years old.▪ Your child has asthma or allergies.• Treat all family members with head liceat the same time.• Talk to your pharmacist about:1. What head lice treatmentsare available.2. How to use the lice treatment.3. The need for a second treatmentin 7 - 10 days.• Do not wash hair or swim 1 - 2 daysafter treatment.• Remove ALL nits after the treatmentuntil no nits are found for 2 weeks.Chemical treatments for head liceNon-Chemical Method (Wet Combing)• Wet combing is a special methodof removing lice and nits withoutusing chemicals.• Call the <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Unit</strong> for a WetCombing pamphlet.No chemical will kill 100% of lice and nits.• Work in a well lit area.• Divide hair into sections and work on onesection at a time.• Use a nit comb or your fingernail to pullthe nit to the end of the hair strand.• Place nits in a resealable plastic bag.• Pin back the section of hair you alreadychecked and check the rest of the head.• Continue combing and picking for nitsdaily until no nits are found for 2 weeks.▪ It may take an hour or more toremove the nits.▪ It is easy to miss nits.If you miss one nit, the cycle canstart all over again.<strong>Head</strong> lice egg (Nit)Nit combs
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