Head Lice Season is Here -- What to Know About Causes, Treatment, and Prevention

According to Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, head lice infestations number somewhere between 12 and 25 million each year and target primarily younger children, under age 12.

In Friday's press release, Johns Hopkins notes that the fall and winter seasons are when the most cases of head lice are reported. Further, September is national Head Lice Awareness Month, when head lice cases tend to peak after school has started.

In terms of how head lice are transmitted, it's important to understand that head lice don't jump or hop from one child's head to another. They are spread only through direct contact, or by wearing an infected person's head covering or using their bedding, brushes or combs, where nits (head lice eggs) and adult lice can survive for as many as 36 hours. Away from a meal of blood, lice cannot live on their own and will die in a brush or cap, for example, if not transferred to another human head within a couple of days. Further, a person cannot "catch nits." According to the HeadLice.org website, nits are laid by live, adult lice and are "glued" to the side of a hair shaft. It takes 7 to 10 days for a nit to hatch and another 7 to 10 days before the female louse is mature enough to begin laying eggs, repeating the process.

Dr. Bernard Cohen is a pediatric dermatologist who said head lice "are most often found in preschoolers and elementary-school students because children that age tend to play together and have close head-to-head contact in closed spaces, which makes transmission easier."

In dealing with head lice, Dr. Cohen says to forget the old wives' tales of smothering head lice with mayonnaise, olive oil and Vaseline. "There's simply no data to show that any of these works," he said.

If you determine your child does in fact have head lice, first try an over-the-counter insecticidal (anti-lice) shampoo, being extremely careful to follow the directions on the package. If this doesn't address the problem, a doctor can prescribe a medication or stronger remedy. However, it is important not to use anti-lice products repeatedly because they contain strong chemicals and can irritate and inflame the scalp. Also, similar to antibiotics, using them too often may lead to resistance - head lice can become immune to insecticidal products. Although many people want the nits and lice gone, it is not necessary to bother with "nit-picking" after using an anti-lice shampoo. Dr. Cohen says that "as long as the nits and lice are dead, there's no reason to remove the dead bodies one by one."

Regardless of the social stigma attached to head lice, Johns Hopkins says the little creatures actually prefer healthy, clean heads and should not be associated with poor hygiene. That being the case - and putting the "ick" factor aside - parents and teachers need to remember that head lice are a nuisance, but not a health threat.

Source:

Press release, It's Head Lice Season: Experts Offer Primer on Wiping Out the Head Invaders; http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/532550/

HeadLice.org; http://www.headlice.org/