Battling Head Lice

We've all done it.  Shuddered, cringed, and unconsciously scratched when we've pulled the notice from our child's backpack.  It's like Mommy radar goes berserk and rest will not come until we've inspected every follicle of our children's heads.  It can seem a losing battle at times, that we have no control over keeping these blood sucking pests at bay.  But remember, in order to fight a fair battle in the war against Head Lice, we need to think outside the Lice Shampoo bottle (speaking in terms of prevention).



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We all know a dirty head does not attract Head Lice, or at least we should.  Those notes our schools send home are informative and make sure to stress this.  So what happens?  Why do people get Head Lice?  The answer is, because they've picked it up.  Sound vague?  Well here's the thing, that's exactly what happens.  A Louse is naturally designed to cling and cling fast.  These things cannot jump or fly, yet their legs are equipped with super grippers which need only close, and then that's it.  Next come the nits, the eggs which the louse will lay, and scratching, scratching, scratching.

Head Lice are spread easily through head to head contact.  This can mean many things but certainly does not mean an individual can only get Lice if their head touches another's head who has been infested...

A few ways Head Lice can be picked up:

• By sharing combs or hats
• By sharing sweaters, coats, or scarves (If the material sweeps past the head, chances are lice have clung to it)
• By sharing pillows, bedding, towels, teddy-bears, etc.
• During any situation where one's hair can touch another's

Classrooms work hard to lesson the chances of a child picking up Lice.  When a case is reported things like bean-bags and reading pillows are removed, children are advised not to share head gear or other clothing accessories, they are invited to trade hugs for other forms of affection, it becomes a requirement to stuff hats in coat sleeves, and where possible, coats are given space from others.




But what can parents do to help lessen the spread of Head Lice?  Definitely reminding our children to keep their things to themselves is proactive.  And maintaining routine after-school head checks is helpful in that every case reported helps keep awareness high.  Since working at the school myself, I too have come to think prevention, prevention, prevention, and being a woman with long hair I now choose to wear it up and away.  More girls get Head Lice than boys because typically girls keep their hair longer and so hold greater risk to snagging up a louse.  If your child's hair is long, help her fight the battle by keeping it up.

A friend once said to me, "I know a few parents with kids in different Grande Prairie schools and they don't seem to have as many cases as we do."  But often in large schools many cases go unreported, where as our close-knit community and small school population make communicating cases easier.  And we use this to our advantage!  For more information on Head Lice and how to treat it, check out this Alberta Health link below.

Health Information & Tools: What Are Head Lice

Interestingly enough there are many natural forms of prevention one can take, though whether or not they really work is debatable.  But when Mommy Radar is triggered, isn't anything harmless worth a try?

A few natural preventative options which are worth a try but are NOT TO BE CONSIDERED TREATMENTS

• It's said Head Lice do not like the smell of lavender, why not start using lavender scented shampoo?
• Tea Tree oil is also rumored to be a scent these pests do not prefer.  A few dabs here, a few dabs there; it's worth a try!

Head Lice reports are common occurrences in elementary schools and can be ruffling.  But if we teachers and parents stick together by continually educating and investigating, we can fight the fight on even ground.  Let's win this battle shall we!