Lice, how to avoid touching our children
Classrooms, many children together, close heads, hair in contact and the threat of lice is a reality. Can we prevent our children from catching it? What is the best treatment for these parasites? The Spanish Association of Pediatrics, AEP, has tried to solve these doubts.
What are lice
The AEP defines the lice like insects whose natural habitat is hair. Its main food is the blood they suck after itching on the scalp. Pediatricians warn that they are especially common in school age, although that does not mean that other people can not be contagious. In fact it is not strange that a child who comes home with these parasites transmit them to their relatives.
This contagion is usually caused by direct contact with another person with lice. Pediatricians warn of the ease They have these parasites to move from one hair to another in children who play or feel very close. In addition, the exchange of combs, hair gums, hairpins, headbands, ribbons, hats and caps can also serve as a means of transport for these pesky little insects.
Being attentive is the key
Habitually a deficit hygiene is related to the appearance of lice. But it's not like that. These parasites can appear on any hair no matter how clean it is. We will have to be attentive to possible discomfort in the smallest to check if your hair has lice. The sooner lice and nits are found, the easier it will be to kill them. It is at this time, and not before, when lotions and other products should be applied against these parasites. The AEP states that applying these treatments before confirming the presence of insects has no preventive effect.
Some products are marketed that supposedly avoid contagion, but it is not scientifically proven. We can diminish the chances that it will touch us if we comb our children with their hair collected because we will prevent their hair from touching that of other colleagues.
The treatment against lice
If it is finally found that the child has lice living on your scalp, you will have to start a treatment to eliminate them. The AEP recommends these Steps to get the parasites to disappear from the child's hair:
- The anti-lice lotion should be applied in the dry hair.
- The lotion should remain in the hair for 10 minutes, then it should be rinsed with warm water. Always contact these products with eyes, nose and mouth.
- With the hair still wet, the lice are removed with hand, more efficient method, or with combs of barbed joints called nits.
- After this first application, it will be necessary to check daily head for at least two weeks and in case of finding a louse, they will be removed by hand.
- To help take off the nits you can use a mix of water and vinegar applying it with a soaked towel, after having dewormed.
- Seven or ten days later it will be necessary repeat the treatment with the same product. This will eliminate the possible lice that have left the nits that were not removed.
- Lice outside the body survive at most one or two days. All clothes and towels must be washed with hot water. Hair combs and accessories should be submerged for ten minutes in the parasite lotion.
Damián Montero
