How to Prevent Head Lice For Back To School
Back-to-school time generally means buying new clothes, shopping for school supplies and picking out the perfect lunchbox. Unfortunately, with the recent rise of “super lice”—a new mutated breed of head lice that have developed resistance to over the counter and even prescription treatments—it also means it’s time to put your guard up against the school yard’s tiniest bully: head lice.
A common misconception about head lice is that they only affect those who are unclean or unhygienic, but that’s really not the case, says mobile lice removal company Lice Care Solutions. “In actuality, they are equal opportunists and affect everyone, regardless of hair type or how often you bathe.”
Head lice are highly contagious. The Center for Disease Control estimates that between 6 and 12 million children between the ages of 3 and 11. Of the 50 states, 48 of them have reported a mutated breed of “super lice” that is resistant to medical treatment.
To ensure that you and your loved ones stay lice free, here’s a quick checklist for you and your child to follow:
1. Don’t share items that come into contact with the scalp, like brushes and combs, hair accessories, towels, hats and helmets, headscarves and headphones.
2. Put long hair up or into a ponytail or braid. Lice cannot jump or fly; instead, they move about by latching onto hairs or threads and crawling from thread to thread. When hair is put up and out of the way, lice are not able to grasp onto it.
3. Avoid games and activities that include head-to-head contact, since they provide easy opportunities for lice to crawl from one head to another.
4. Keep personal belongings separate. Shared places like closets, drawers, lockers and common clothes hooks can create additional opportunities for lice to crawl from one clothing item to another.
5. If you suspect that you or a loved one is infested with head lice, seek treatment immediately. Head lice are highly contagious and if not treated properly will quickly spread to others.
