by NotSoTweetOne

Created on: January 22, 2007   Last Updated: April 16, 2012

Head lice don't discriminate, educate yourself and others: our kids depend on it! Don't rely on misinformation, you need to find out for yourself.

Working in a school health office I have done many head checks, and unfortunately have had to call many parents in order to tell them their child had lice. I also have had just about every advertisement for the "cure" on the market sent to me, and the one thing that has not changed is that education is your best "cure" and will be your saving grace if your child is sent home with "friends" in tow. I have recommended the National Pediculosis Association's website www.headlice.org to each and every person who has called upon me for help as they have very accurate information, are dedicated to education of the public who are not in the business to make money (they are a not-for-profit that has been around since 1983), and have downloads, fact sheets, etc... They have more on this one site than I have found in all of my medical books combined, which is why most doctors are clueless as to what to do.

Lice are fairly straightforward little pests; it's us that make it complicated. Lice should not be kept a secret because that is how we create an epidemic; others need to know in order to stop the spread and end up back on your child's head. Lice can't jump, fly, skip, hop or swim, they require contact to spread. They do not live on animals other than humans (they need our blood to live). Lice live for around 30 days and can lay approximately 100 eggs during that time, and it is estimated that they die if off a human host for 24 hours.

Please be very careful when choosing your treatment as the health of your child matters most and if they have asthma, or any health issues it is not recommended to use pesticides; THEY COULD BE LIFE THREATENING in certain situations. Keep in mind that just because a product is "natural" doesn't mean it is without risk (bacteria and viruses are natural too). I also recommend that if you suspect your child has lice to have someone who has seen many cases check them out before you treat them with any pesticide, I had a good friend of mine treat her five children needlessly because she was too embarrassed to have me check them (her daughter only had bad dandruff and she treated all five).

In the end don't beat yourself up about it if your child does get lice, because it doesn't mean your child is dirty. Lice love nothing more than a fresh shampooed head; remember they need blood to survive and when you wash your hair it's like shoveling the driveway when it snows (it gives them a clear path to the scalp). Visit the site listed above and pass it around. I am sure you will be shocked at all the misinformation you have been given over the years. (Most doctors are too when I give them inservices).

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