They’re horrible little creatures, but sadly head lice are a fact of life for many Kiwi kids. Here are five facts to help you deal with nits.
1. Just because your child isn’t scratching, doesn’t mean they don’t have nits
While scratching is the most common indication that head lice are present, not everyone will experience itchiness.
If nits are doing the rounds at your child’s school, notices will be sent out asking parents to check their kids. It’s a good idea to check for them regularly anyway, just in case they’ve picked them up but aren’t itching yet. Sit them down in front of a window where there’s lots of light, or train a torch or bright light on their head, then part their hair in sections.
Look close to their scalp for lice, which are tiny insects around two to 4mm long and a light or dark brown colour. Their eggs (nits) are small and hard like a little grain of rice and are white-yellow in colour. The most common places to find them are the nape of the neck, behind the ears and at the base of a ponytail or plaits. Small red dots on the neck or behind the ears may be head lice bites.
2.Head lice don’t cause serious diseases
- Uncomfortable itching is the most common result of having lice. The worst thing that can happen is the child may scratch so much that they break the skin on their scalp, which can lead to infection.
- There’s no quick fix. Buying a nit shampoo from the chemist and using it once isn’t going to do the trick. The nits cling onto the hair shaft for dear life and it can take regular repeated treatments to get rid of them and the lice that hatch from them.
A combination of methods used over several weeks is likely to be the most successful. These include:
Combing the affected hair when it’s dry with a special fine-tooth comb. Comb right from the scalp down to the very end of the hair. You may have to scrape some stubborn nits off with your fingernails. Do this in good light so you can see that you’re getting rid of all of the nits and lice.
Wet-combing with a fine-tooth comb. oassage in a generous amount of conditioner, which will stun the lice for around 20 minutes and make them and the nits easier to remove. Wipe the comb with a tissue each time you run it through so you don’t put the nits and lice you’ve just removed back into the hair. Wash the conditioner out afterwards and remember not to use it within a day of using a chemical treatment – it will make the chemicals ineffective. You’ll need to do this every other day for three weeks to make sure you’ve eliminated all of the nits.
Electric battery-operated combs stun or kill the lice so they let go of the hair and can be combed out. Don’t forget to clean the teeth of the comb after every stroke and don’t use it on wet hair.
Chemical treatments use insecticides to kill nits and lice and do come with risks. Always follow the instructions carefully and don’t use more than is recommended on the label. Also, don’t wash the hair for at least 24 hours afterwards, or use a hairdryer.
Herbal treatments are also available but their effectiveness hasn’t been established by professionals. Tea-tree oil is often recommended as a way of killing lice, and drops can be added to shampoo, but it should be used in moderation as it can be toxic in large amounts.
As well as treating their hair you need to soak your child’s hairbrush in very hot water and wash all bed linen, towels, hats and any cuddly toys they take to bed in hot water to ensure you kill all the bugs or traces of nits that could be left.
4. Never use kerosene as a nit treatment
- An old wives’ tale claims that washing your child’s hair with kerosene is the best way to kill lice. This is not the solution. It may get rid of nits, but it’s also putting your child’s life at risk. Children have died from inhaling vapours or been badly burned because it is, of course, highly flammable. So don’t do it!
5. Just like Arnie, they’ll be back – if you give them the chance
After you’ve gone to all of this effort to get rid of those horrible nits, you don’t want them to come back any time soon. Prevent another infestation by:
Educating your child about not putting their head in close contact with other kids’ heads.
Telling them not share brushes, combs, hats, hair accessories, bike helmets or pillows.
Keeping long hair tied back, especially at school.
Discouraging children from playing with each others’ hair
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