Head lice are so common that they are ‘normal’ in children of primary school age but parents are horrified by the presence of these little blighters. Up to a quarter of UK schoolchildren may have head lice, and more than two-thirds have had nits at least once – so what can parents do? We’ve got loads of useful information on how to cope if your child gets them…
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New research reveals that 68 per cent of British families with children of school age have had to deal with a head lice infection, and of these, three-quarters have had to cope with at least one re-infection. One in five families have had ‘nits' up to five times!
Parents can become desperate in their attempts to get rid of head lice – one mum cropped her daughter's hair short, then smothered it in mayonnaise, combed it with a dog's flea comb, rinsed it with Listerine mouthwash, white vinegar, coconut oil conditioner and tea tree oil, before shampooing with coal tar shampoo every day for a week. She also sprayed her whole house with disinfectant, sprinkled her furniture and floors with animal delousing powder. But such extreme measures just aren't necessary.
Head lice – the facts
- Head lice are the most common parasites in children
- Children of school age – and those attending nursery/pre-school – are most at risk
- ‘Nits' are the empty shells of eggs after the louse has hatched – but the term is often used for head lice too
- Insecticide-resistance is common (in 50-70 per cent of head lice cases). Ask your health visitor or GP for information on local patterns of resistance, or use a product with a physical action
- Head lice can appear at any time – keep a treatment in your bathroom cabinet just in case!
Head lice are tiny wingless insects, a bit bigger than a pin head. They live on the scalp and feed by sucking blood every two to three hours. Head lice cannot survive for more than a day or two away from a host. Each female lays 150 – 300 eggs in her lifetime. The eggs are firmly cemented to the hair shaft, and their distance from the scalp indicates how long ago the eggs were laid.
Head lice can't jump or fly: they can only be passed on by direct, head-to-head contact – that's why children catch them, especially after wet summers because they spend more time indoors, in close proximity, instead of running around outside.
Head lice are not seriously harmful but their bites can cause intense itching, and if children scratch their heads, they can break the skin, which can then become infected.
The fiction
- ‘Head lice only infest dirty hair.' Not true: Head lice are not a sign of poor personal hygiene – they like clean hair just as much
- ‘Head lice always make your head itch.' Not true: only 14-19 per cent of infected children complain of itching
- ‘You can prevent head lice by using medicated shampoos or tea tree oil'. Not true: there is no evidence that so-called repellents work
- ‘You should treat everyone in the family, just in case.' Not true: only treat family members with evidence of live lice
- ‘You can get rid of head lice by using mayonnaise, beer, vinegar, butter, garlic (capsules), hair dye, detergent, lamp oil, dog shampoo, washing-up liquid, mouthwash, peanut butter…' – or you could just use a product that has been scientifically proved to work!
