First of all – they are carriers of infectious diseases (for example, typhus, oriental fever). Getting rid of lice is an unpleasant task, but it can be done.
What is childhood lice
Pediculosis in children is a parasitic skin disease. Its causative agent is small insects - lice, which live on the child’s body and feed on blood. The parasite's saliva remains at the bite sites, causing severe itching. A rash, redness and wounds on the skin may appear.
Depending on the type of insect and its habitat, there are:
- Head lice. Lice are gray-brown in color and parasitize on the head, located at the root of the hair. When the form is advanced, they are found on the eyelashes and eyebrows. The life cycle lasts about 4 weeks. They lay eggs - nits, which contain a sticky substance and look like midges in hair.
- Pediculosis pubis. Lice are found in the genital area and anus. They can be recognized by their short, flat body measuring 1-3 mm.
- Clothes lice. It is caused by body lice, which lay eggs in the seams and folds of clothing that fit tightly to the human body. They are off-white in color and reach sizes of 3-5 mm.
Mixed pediculosis, when one person is parasitized by different types of lice, is extremely rare. Children are most susceptible to head lice, as they spend a lot of time in organized groups, where such a problem is not uncommon. In the process of communication, the children are constantly in contact with each other, while the lice crawl from the infected child to the healthy one.
Appearance of head lice
Despite the fact that lice belong to the order of winged insects, they do not have any signs of having wings.
The adult has:
- oval body;
- flat back;
- abdomen.
Three pairs of single-segmented louse legs are tenacious, despite their short length. Claw-like claws allow the parasite to cling very deftly and move quickly through the hair.
Looking at photos of lice and nits, you can judge their size. Among adult individuals, there are both very small specimens, the body length of which is 0.5 mm, and very large ones - about 6 mm, which are easily detected by visual inspection.
The body of this insect, similar to other species, is divided into 3 parts:
- flat chest;
- voluminous and long abdomen;
- and an oblong head that tapers towards the mouth.
In the center are two small eyes of simple structure and a pair of sensitive antennae. The lice's eyesight is poor, so it mainly uses its sense of touch to obtain information.
The mouth opening is located in the front of the head. It is protected by a fold of skin. There are chitinous hooks inside. The louse uses them to attach itself to the skin. The feeding apparatus is located under the mouth. It is hidden by a kind of tubular case.
The upper jaw and lower lip of the louse are very hard and sharp, and are used to pierce the skin. The insect uses a long proboscis to suck blood. When the louse is not feeding, these organs are retracted into a special cavity called the vagina. It is located inside the insect's head.
The parasite's trapezoidal chest is divided into three parts, each of which has a pair of legs. The oval abdomen is divided into 9 parts. The first two are slightly smaller than the others. The last section contains the anus.
The body of a louse can be brownish, grayish or yellowish in color and is transparent. But after the parasite drinks blood, it turns almost red. On the lateral parts of the body there are small dark dots located at a slight distance from each other.
A lice bite on a person's scalp looks like a small reddish dot, which can easily be confused with a pimple or an allergic rash. Such marks can most often be found on the neck and behind the ears, that is, where the skin is more delicate.
Methods of infection
It is a mistaken belief that insects spread only among socially disadvantaged children. According to statistics, every fifth child is susceptible to this disease. There are several main ways of becoming infected with pediculosis:
- In the absence of sufficient space between beds in preschool institutions. Furniture is often located close together, which allows parasites to easily move around it.
- Using other people's clothing and household items. Lice can live on combs, hairpins, hairbands, as well as in the seams and lining of hats.
- While getting carried away by energetic outdoor games, children touch their heads, and parasites are shaken off onto the body of a healthy child.
- Infants can become infected with lice from sick parents when carried or while sharing a bed.
- Infection is possible in public baths, swimming pools, and hairdressers if there is insufficient sanitization of common areas and objects.
Pediculosis in children is a parasitic skin disease.
Most often, girls with thick, long hair are affected by pediculosis. It is easier for parasites to gain a foothold on them and lay eggs, which mature into larvae within 10 days.
How to detect parasites on a child's head
The main symptom of the disease is intense itching. It mainly appears behind the ears, on the back of the head and in the temple area. Red spots are visible at the sites of insect bites. By observing the behavior, it is easy to understand that the child is infected. He constantly scratches his head, becomes restless and has trouble sleeping.
To independently detect pediculosis, you should carefully examine the occipital and temporal areas of the head under a bright light source. On long hair, thin strands are separated using a comb. Nits are the easiest to see. Externally, they look like small white dots in the hair and resemble dandruff. But you can’t just shake them off, and when crushed you hear a characteristic click.
In a medical facility, a Wood's lamp is used for examination. Under its influence, nits emit a bluish glow. If it is possible to identify parasites, all persons in direct contact with the child must be examined.
Prevention
It is important to remember that lice come from anywhere and it is easy to become infected with lice. Therefore, you should never let your guard down. After all, if you determine the reasons for the appearance of lice, you can free yourself from unnecessary worries.
- If someone suspects lice, then you should avoid communicating with this person. You cannot use other people’s accessories: hats, combs, scarves.
- Even if the insects were discovered on time, the whole family should still wash their hair using special shampoos. And all hats should be dry cleaned so that chemical prophylaxis is carried out.
- Combs and hair accessories should be replaced with new ones or soak old ones in alcohol for 5-6 hours. If you experience head infections (blisters, wounds), you should definitely consult a doctor.
- By constantly educating your child about the inadmissibility of using other people's hats and combs, and regularly checking his head for parasites, you can prevent the appearance of insects.
- When attending crowded events, you can apply a few drops of lavender oil to the back of your head and behind your ears. This smell will scare away uninvited guests and help get rid of them.
- From time to time, add a few drops of lemon, mint or tea tree essential oils to your regular shampoo. These drugs against lice have an odor that neither lice nor nits like.
What to do for head lice in kindergarten
Lice spread most intensively in kindergartens. Children spend most of their time communicating with each other. Active contact games and the use of the same toys create a favorable environment for insect parasitism.
Pediculosis spread peaks in the autumn. At this time, kids gather in a group after their summer vacation and share not only their impressions, but also the parasites they have acquired.
What should parents do if they find lice on their child? First of all, it is necessary to notify the administration of the child care institution, which must determine a list of appropriate activities. All children should be checked for insects. Sick babies must be isolated to prevent further spread of head lice. Then sanitary treatment of all objects where lice can parasitize is carried out. It is recommended, if possible, to stop visiting kindergarten until the quarantine is lifted.
All types of lice require immediate treatment, even if one individual of lice was found. If the problem is ignored, the following complications are possible:
- formation of abscesses in places where scratching;
- inflammation of the lymph nodes;
- eczema;
- typhus.
Safe treatments
Destruction of parasites is carried out at home. To completely get rid of lice, an integrated approach is required, in which mechanical action is used along with chemicals.
Treatment of head lice is carried out with medications in the form of shampoos and hair treatment solutions. Only a doctor can prescribe them, since all drugs have side effects. The most popular means for killing lice are:
- Shampoo "Paranite". The active ingredient is clearol. It clogs the respiratory opening of parasites, causing them to suffocate. Does not contain toxins, therefore it is the safest drug.
- Con. The active ingredient is permethrin. It has a toxic effect on insects, causing them to die. Not recommended for use by children under 3 years of age.
- Spray "Nuda". The active ingredient is biphasic demitikon. The insecticidal agent destroys not only adults, but also nits. Convenient to use.
Before using pharmaceutical drugs, you should find out the contraindications and take precautions. It is important to take into account age and individual characteristics of the body, for example, the presence of skin diseases, allergic reactions. The use of chemicals is not recommended for infants and pregnant women.
In order to effectively combat nits and lice, as well as in the presence of contraindications for the use of drugs, a mechanical method is used. It involves combing the hair with a fine comb. Starting from the temporal area of the head, gradually sort out strands of hair, cleansing them of parasites. It is best to do this near a window or on a balcony, where there is sufficiently good lighting.
The easiest and fastest way to kill lice is to shave your head. But it can only be offered to children. Older children are unlikely to agree to such a procedure.
Traditional medicine suggests using a mixture of kerosene and sunflower oil, as well as a solution of table vinegar, to treat pediculosis. It is necessary to take into account that these products negatively affect the hair roots and can cause irritation of the skin.
Treatment of lice on eyelashes and eyebrows is carried out mainly mechanically. These foci of infection are located close to the organs of vision, so the use of chemicals can be dangerous. To facilitate the process, eyebrows and eyelashes are lubricated with Vaseline oil, which weakens the attachment of parasites.
Fighting methods
Disinfection
Disinfection of clothing is also necessary. To be completely sure, you need to make sure there is no other source of head lice. Other family members may need to take preventive measures. In this way, you can quickly remove lice, but this method is more suitable for boys and men. It will be more difficult to remove nits on a head with long hair.
Lice combs
Lice can also be removed mechanically from long hair, but this will be a longer and more labor-intensive process, although it can also be effective. To comb out lice and nits, you need to have a special comb. Combing is also necessary when using medications, since without removing living and dead individuals there will be no effect. At the same time, combing helps to cope with nits, which are the most tenacious and resistant to other methods of influence.
The comb should be frequent and dense. An ordinary comb will not help in the fight against insects and will not harm them. Now you can buy a special comb at the pharmacy, or find it in a kit with another lice remedy. Lice combs are made from plastic, wood and metal. The material is not as important as the structure of the ridge. It allows you not to miss insects on the hair, and with the help of special notches on the teeth, destroy the chitinous shell of nits.
Electric combs
Electric insect combs were also released. They act on the nits with a small electrical discharge, this kills them. In this case, you can carry out disinsection without additional products and on dry hair. Unfortunately, this method is also not effective on hair that is too long and thick.
The combing procedure itself requires preparation: you need to wash your hair, then lubricate the hair well with conditioner to destroy the adhesion of the nits to the hair.
It is better to cover the floor around with oilcloth to prevent the spread of lice in the house. The person carrying out the procedure also needs to think about protective equipment, paying the greatest attention to their hair, since lice can transfer to a new host. Next, the hair is gathered into a bun and gradually combed out in small strands.
Important! After each strand, the comb must be washed, as there is a risk of back infection of the head with lice. The whole procedure requires patience and scrupulousness, otherwise it may not be effective. It is better to flush collected insects down the toilet.
Insecticides
Modern pharmacology offers a wide range of insecticides, both specifically for the fight against head lice, and a wide range. Most of them are essentially poisons designed to kill insects, so they can cause skin irritation and allergies. Depending on the form of release, lice products can be ointments, sprays, shampoos and even tablets.
Here are the most popular and affordable ones.
Benzyl benzoate emulsion , 20% for adults and 10% for children, will show results the very next day if you treat your hair with it for half an hour. After exposure to the drug, you need to rinse your hair with vinegar.
Using first , such as Pedikulen, Paranit, Para Plus, is more convenient but less effective, especially for nits. They will still have to be combed out. When choosing a pharmaceutical medicine for head lice, check the recommended age of use and whether it is suitable for the patient.
Often nit remedies come in the form of shampoo . It is quite convenient and effective, although it can cause allergies. At the pharmacy you can buy Paranit, Pedelin, Sifax, Anti-bit, Veda, Hygia, Nit-Free, Nok.
Creamy products are the most inexpensive but the most inconvenient - they are difficult to wash off from the hair. For example, the only side effect Nittifor has is an unpleasant odor.
Treatment with tablets can only be prescribed by a doctor. Albendazole, Ivermectin, Levamisole, Butadione are usually prescribed.
Everyone chooses for themselves which remedy for lice and nits is best. Often people resort to a method that has been used in their family for generations. But in the fight against lice, treatment with folk remedies is often more dangerous than pharmacology. Just look at Dichlorvos and kerosene applied to the head, sometimes overnight.
Folk remedies
Many people believe that a solution of vinegar, salt and alcohol applied to the hair helps better against lice and nits. True, you need to keep the composition on your head for two days, periodically updating it.
You can also dilute burdock oil with your favorite essential oil and apply it to your hair for 30 minutes. The smell will repel insects, and the procedure will be beneficial for the hair and body, and not harmful.
In general, lice are repelled by many natural scents, such as cranberries and pomegranates. But the period of treatment with them is more than 10 days, and in the modern rhythm of life, such treatment is not acceptable.
How to save long hair when lice appear
If lice appear on long hair, it is not necessary to cut them. The main part of the parasites and their larvae are located in the root zone, so it is enough to treat about 5 cm with chemicals, starting from the roots of the hair. Then the hair should be combed to one side and sorted through small strands, destroying the remaining parasites with your hands.
Girls with thick, long hair are most often affected by pediculosis.
Is there a predisposition to pediculosis?
The main reasons for the spread of lice are violation of personal hygiene rules and contact with carriers of parasites. But there are several factors of individual predisposition to pediculosis:
- living conditions that do not meet sanitary standards;
- insufficient care of the scalp;
- long hair;
- lack of control over the appearance and health of children by parents.
It is necessary from an early age to teach a child to use only his own things and objects. Girls should braid their hair so that children's hair does not touch during active games. It is necessary to periodically check the scalp for lice. It is recommended to wash bedding and towels at high temperatures, and dry pillows in the sun.
No one is immune from parasite infection. Even the most prosperous family can face this problem. Having discovered signs of head lice, it is important to explain to the child that he has nothing to be ashamed of and begin treatment as quickly as possible.
What else must be done when removing lice?
Pediculosis is a contagious disease. This means that if lice appear on one of the family members, it is necessary to examine all the others and take preventive measures.
It is better to use any anti-lice products in the bathroom so that the lice removed from the hair do not spread throughout the apartment. During treatment, the person who helps with the application and rinsing of medications, who combs hair and monitors the progress of treatment, must carefully protect themselves. When combing, cover your shoulders and back with a white towel so that you can see the falling insects. The room and everything in it must be washed thoroughly after manipulation. For disinfection, you need to use the same pediculicidal agents, for example, MediLis-Permifen.
Important! Lice and nits can be found not only in the hair, but also in the patient’s personal belongings. All clothing, bed linen, and towels should be washed at high temperatures. You can use a pediculicide solution for soaking. Things that cannot be washed can be treated with a steam cleaner, ironed or exposed to frost - at very high or low temperatures the pests die. It is also better to treat upholstered furniture, mattresses, blankets and pillows with a steam generator or dry cleaning. Head lice do not live in furniture, but they can wait out “difficult times” in it and then continue to parasitize people.
For difficult-to-handle items that cannot be dry cleaned, washed or ironed, you can use this method. Pack them as tightly as possible in a thick plastic bag and leave them in this form for 2 – 4 weeks. During this time, all adults and even nits will die of hunger and will not produce offspring. This method is suitable, for example, for outerwear.
It is also better to rinse the entire apartment with a solution of anti-lice or insecticide. In case of severe damage, you can call special services. The main thing is that the fight must be comprehensive so that not a single individual or egg remains viable. This is the only way to remove these parasites.
