Understanding Head Lice: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention

1. Head LiceA Nit-Pickin’ Nuisance

2. What are Head Lice? • Insects that live and reproduce on your head • Head lice feed on blood from your scalp • Head lice are a common nuisance, but are not considered a health hazard

3. Who can get Head Lice? • Anyone who has close head-to-head contact with someone who has head lice • More common among preschool & elementary school-aged children & their families • Personal hygiene or cleanliness in home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice • Head lice cannot live on pets or animals, only on humans

4. How do Head Lice Spread? • Head lice crawl quickly from one head to another when in close contact • Head lice cannot fly, jump or hop • Head lice can be transferred when personal objects are shared (e.g. combs, brushes, hats)

5. Recognizing Head Lice • Tickling feeling on scalp • Itchy scalp • Feeling of something moving in the hair • Irritability • Sores on head from scratching • Presence of nits (eggs), nymphs or adult head lice

6. What do they look like? • Adult head lice: • Tiny wingless brown insects; size of a sesame seed • Live for about 20 days • If a louse crawls off of a head, it dies within 2 days

7. What do they look like? • Nymphs: • Are baby head lice • Smaller than adult head lice • Mature in about 1 week

8. What do they look like? • Nits (eggs) • Tiny specks; about the size of a knot in thread • Firmly attached to the hair close to the scalp • Usually found on the hair behind the ears, at the back of the neck, and above the forehead • Do not mistake for dandruff, which can be easily blown off

9. Treating Head Lice • Ask your pharmacist for a recommended treatment product • Only use treatment when nits or head lice are present • Head lice products do not prevent head lice • Follow product instructions carefully to avoid re-infestation

10. Treating Head Lice • Products kill the head lice and many eggs • A second treatment is needed 7 to 10 days after the first treatment to kill any newly-hatched lice before they mature

11. Steps to Treating Head Lice… • Before applying treatment shampoo child’s hair over a sink with regular shampoo • Do NOT use conditioner or combination shampoo/conditioner • Many products require you to damp-dry hair with a towel or blow dryer

12. Wear plastic or rubber gloves to avoid unnecessary exposure to treatment product • Wrap a towel tightly over the child’s eyes to protect them

13. Apply the head lice product according to product directions * Timing is important: • If product is rinsed off too soon, head lice and nits may not be killed • If left on too long, there is unneeded product exposure

14. Rinse child’s hair under tap, not in shower or bath, to minimize product exposure on the rest of the body • Wash your hands well after using product • Do not re-wash hair for several days after treatment

15. Treating Head Lice • A second treatment is required 7 to 10 days later to kill any newly-hatched lice • If you see live head lice 24 – 48 hours after treatment, then immediately treat again with a different product

16. Treating Head Lice • Talk to your family doctor: • If a child is under the age of 2 • If you are pregnant or breastfeeding • If a person has a seizure disorder • If a person has broken or infected skin on the scalp • If lice are on eyebrows, eyelashes or facial hair

17. General Product Information • Follow the directions • Timing is important • Do not mix products • Rinse child’s hair under tap • Products should not be used near the eyes, nose, or mouth

18. General Product Information • Wear plastic or rubber gloves • Wash your hands after using product • Store products away from children • Do not apply to open or infected skin

19. Treating Head Lice… • All nits should be removed after treating with product • Head lice products are not 100% effective; they may not kill all of the nits • Removing nits: • will reduce hatching of eggs that were not killed with treatment • will allow you to notice if a new infestation occurs

20. To remove nits: • Part and lift hair to check for nits or lice • Work under a good light (window or lamp) • Live lice can be removed with scotch tape wrapped around your finger

21. To remove nits: • Use fine-tooth nit comb or thumbnail/first finger to grab nit & slide it off hair shaft • Place nits in a plastic bag; when done, seal or tie up the bag and put in garbage • Take frequent breaks, especially with young children • Check & remove nits daily for 2-3 weeks

22. Treating Head Lice • Avoid home remedies – no scientific proof of effectiveness • Do not use flea control products, turpentine, paint thinner, etc. • If your child has head lice, tell the school/child care facility & child’s close contacts immediately to prevent further spread

23. Housecleaning • Wash in hot, soapy water: • Headwear, combs, brushes, pillowcases, towels, bed sheets • Excessive housecleaning is unnecessary • Do not use insecticide sprays

24. Controlling the Spread of Head Lice • Discourage head-to-head contact and sharing of hats, scarves, brushes, combs and headwear • Check heads of all people in close contact • Treat all family members with head lice at the same time

25. Controlling the Spread of Head Lice • Check young school-aged children weekly for head lice; more often if there is an outbreak • If head lice continue to return, call your local health unit

26. Recommended Websites: • Centre for Disease Control • http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/lice/factsht_head_lice.htm • Canadian Paediatric Society • http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/whensick/HeadLice.htm

27. Harvard School of Public Health • www.hsph.harvard.edu/headlice.html • American Academy of Pediatrics • http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/pediatrics;110/3/638.pdf Please note that information about head lice varies among sources

28. For more information… Huron County Health Unit 77722B London Rd, RR 5 Clinton, ON N0M 1L0 519.482.3416 or 1.877.837.6143 www.huroncounty.ca Used with permission of the Perth District Health Unit