LICE 101
Lice 101
What you need to know!
What are Head Lice?
- Small parasite that lives on human blood
- Like to be next to warm scalp
- Avoids light
- Quick little “buggers”
- By time live lice are noticed you have usually had them for several weeks
- Not known to spread disease therefore are not considered a medical or public health hazard.
- They do not live on animals
How to identify
- Do NOT jump, hop or fly
- They crawl from one head to another
- Active infestation is presence of crawling live louse
- Louse- Adult lice
Six legged critter the size of a sesame seed
Has claws to hold on to the hair shaft
- NitLice egg
Attached to hair shaft with sticky substance
How do you get “Rid” of it?
- Remove lice using fine toothed comb
- Remove what nits you can
- Daily removal of live lice and nits over next 2 weeks
- Treat with “lice” shampoo like Rid or Nix
Follow directions on box
Retreat according to box instruction
- Wash clothing and bed linens used within the past 48 hours
- Vacuum house and car on regular basis
- Clean combs and brushes in HOT water
- Bag any items not able to be washed for 2 weeks
Avoid lice, How?
- Avoid HEAD to HEAD contact
- Avoid whispering into friend’s ear
- Avoid hugs, elbow bump your friends instead
- Avoid sharing pillows at sleepovers and sitting with heads leaning together
- Avoid wrestling with one another
Check your head regularly for lice to catch a new infestation early
