Hannah bought drug-store treatment, picked out the nits (lice eggs) and kept her daughter home from school that day for repeat treatment. This process needs to be repeated every three to four days for two weeks after you see any adult lice.
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Head lice is a common condition caused by infestation of the scalp with Pediculus humanus capitis (or, more simply put, the human head louse). But, in cases where the lice is resistant to OTC treatments (like the strain now in the news), there are a variety of prescription medications, such as topical Benzyl alcohol, spinosad, and ivermectin, that continue to be very effective against head lice. Janet Kennedy from “Lice Knowing You” said it’s important to have the right tools and education about lice.
Pitcher said lice is not a recordable statistic, so officials don’t have a clear gauge on how widespread it is, but while the country and even Indiana are dealing with the mutated lice, her office has received no reports of super lice. If the treatment does not work, then call a dermatologist or pediatrician to get a stronger treatment.
Head lice is spread through direct person to person contact.
There is a small chance that the lice will come back if there are enough eggs left behind, though. At a meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston Tuesday, scientists announced that lice in 25 of the 30 states they sampled have evolved.
But if you are infested, the best way to rid the bug is to intensely and thoroughly comb the hair, pulling out the bugs along the way. Wet-combing involves wetting the hair and adding a lubricant, such as conditioner or olive oil.
“Don’t waste your money”, Hogenauer said.
It’s the back-to-school battle that’s becoming harder to fight – head lice.
OK, I’m going to show you a picture of an actual louse.
As horrifying as these things look, your kid isn’t in danger and doesn’t pose much of a threat to spread lice to others. “I mean, anything they do, touching and anything like that, especially with little kids, I am super concerned about”.
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And within the past few years, the American Association of Pediatrics and the National Association of School Nurses have encouraged schools to discontinue policies that require a child to be free of nits before he is allowed to return.
