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health & wellbeing The ‘Tourist’ Season By Josie McCondach For many parents, it can come as a shock to learn that their child has been infested with lice. However, there are a lot of myths surrounding head lice infestation, and it is important to realise it may not be as bad as it first appears. Here are some interesting facts that will help you to be more informed about what some parents have coined as ‘the tourist season’! Head lice are a specialised blood obligate parasite that evolved before and with human civilisation. They vary in colour from greyish white to brown, and are about the size of a sesame seed. Lice cannot hop, jump or fly, so once they land on a scalp they move to the neck or behind the ears; the lice then inject an anaesthetic into the scalp and feed on the blood every three hours. Small red dots indicate where they have been feeding. Sensitivities to the anaesthetic then cause itching. Female lice lay eggs, which they attach to the base of the hair, and after 10 days the eggs hatch, causing more suffering for the host of the infestation. Each female louse lays her eggs 3-5 times each day. That is more than 100 eggs in her 30-day life cycle. Head lice cannot survive more than 48 hours without human blood. Over the years there have been many suggestions on how byronchild 56 — dealing with head lice when they come to visit to get rid of these nasty pests, but do they work? Lice develop a resistance to chemicals used in lice eradication treatments, and if some of the lice survive, they will keep breeding and the new lice will be more resistant to the chemicals than PREVENTATIVE SPRAY Pour 50 ml water into a spritzer bottle. 6 drops bergamot 6 drops lavender 6 drops lemon Shake vigorously and spray daily into hair. TREATMENT OIL BLEND 10 drops eucalyptus 10 drops geranium 15 drops lavender 15 drops rosemary 50ml apricot kernel oil Massage into dry hair and scalp. Leave for at least 2 hours with shower cap. Before wetting hair to wash, massage shampoo into hair. Then add water, lather and rinse. Follow with preventative spray. the previous generation. Some prescription products contain lindane, to which some lice and their eggs are resistant. This chemical is so dangerous it not only burns away the lice, it also burns away the skin. Over-the-counter shampoos can also
contain pesticides, so always read the label. These products are especially dangerous for infants, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. Here are some tried and tested remedies that won’t harm you or your child: As lice cannot survive more than 48 hours without human blood, smothering the hair with olive oil, and leaving it there for 48 hours has been proven to be an effective method. You can also try rinsing your child’s hair with a mixture of essential oils. In their concentrated form, essential oils are often too potent to be used directly on the skin. They can be diluted into a carrier oil, such as neem or grapeseed oil, which will make them safe to use on your child’s sensitive scalp. Some essential oils that are good to try that will help to alleviate the symptoms associated with lice infestation include lavender, which is good to use as an antiseptic, and good for use on the skin, as well as having a nice fragrance. Eucalyptus can be used for its cleansing and antiseptic properties; it also kills bacteria, and can be used as a soothing agent. Geranium will soothe the skin. Rosemary is great for stimulating the scalp, and tea-tree oil, which is a powerful antiseptic and repellent. You can use all or just a few of these essential oils. Add about 12 drops of the mixture to one ounce of carrier oil, apply to your child’s scalp and hair (dry hair), and wrap with a warm towel or shower cap and leave in for an hour. After the treatment, comb out any dead lice. Repeat the treatment 7 days later to kill any newly hatched lice. Then apply a preventative oil blend, daily (see text box). There are also some products available from the chemist that are as close to natural as possible. Lice produce cement-like secretions which bind their eggs (called nits) to the hair shaft and make them difficult to remove. Applying cooking oil to your child’s hair loosens the secretions so when you comb through the hair, the nits come away easily. Mother of three Christine Schoefer, has proven that there can be a positive side to lice infestation, after all…‘My daughters and I call it primate time, as we huddle together like mountain gorillas on the deck, a long-haired head resting on my knee. We gather the requisite utensils: a small water-filled bowl (for nits and lice), a tiny-toothed comb, a magnifying glass (so we can inspect the offenders), a few treats to relieve boredom (these sessions easily take an hour.) As I begin inspecting her hair, strand by strand, I tell her she has a little zoo on top of her head. We imagine together how her hair is a dense forest of scurrying lice. I talk about nitwits and nitpickers, and I don’t correct her when she adds knitting needles to our word game. Eventually, her resentment at having to sit still dissolves into relaxation and she starts talking. She relates confusing and exciting things she has observed or experienced and unburdens herself of hurts she has collected. She does not expect insightful comments from me, just my attention. Eventually, of course, she gets impatient. And so do I. But we cannot take leave of each other until the job is done, so we persevere in this closeness. In fairytales, combing hair is a metaphor for setting things straight. Delousing my daughters gives me an opportunity to smooth out the wrinkles in their lives.’ With thanks to Christine Schoefer. A portion of this article was originally printed in Mothering magazine, Issue 123 Josie McCondach is an aspiring freelance writer who enjoys travelling, photography, and volunteering her time at the byronchild office. MYTHS and FACTS about LICE MYTH: You should treat the whole family if you suspect someone of having lice. FACT: Each person in the family should be inspected for head lice, however only the people that have been infested need to be treated. MYTH: Shared hats, headphones, and even jackets hung close together can aid the transfer of lice from one person to another. FACT: The lice that infect non-living objects such as clothes and hats are called body lice. Body lice are different from head lice and are rare in developed countries. MYTH: Cleaning sheets and clothing helps prevent the spread of head lice. FACT: Lice need human blood to survive, and they can only live for 48 hours without human contact. Therefore there is no need to wash or disinfect sheets or clothing exposed to a person affected by head lice. MYTH: Lice are a symptom of poor hygiene. FACT: Lice prefer clean hair because the secretions they produce to stick their eggs to the hair follicle are more effective on clean hair. MYTH: It only takes one nit to infest an entire classroom. FACT: Lice are transferred from close head to head contact, they cannot jump from head to head, so it is very unlikely that an entire classroom could become infected just because one child is affected by head lice. MYTH: You only need to treat your child’s hair once, and all the lice will be killed. FACT: Once the mature lice have been killed, it is necessary to go through your child’s hair with a comb and remove any nits that have been left behind. Also, go through the treatment again after 7 days to catch any new lice hatching in the egg cycle. MYTH: You should start treating your child as soon as you see lice eggs. FACT: Treatment should be considered only when active lice are observed. Nits are not a sign of active infestation. Community Hygiene Concern www.chc.org byronchild 57
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