The Fear Factor – Head Lice in Your Home
Home sweet home. Where we live with our spouses, children and furry, four-legged friends. A place we love to be with the people we love to be with. A haven where we feel safe and can unwind from the stresses of life. We protect this home at any cost. Alarm systems, guard dogs, fences, locked and bolted doors and windows, safety gates and childproofing devices are all used to keep your family safe inside. But what about creepy, crawly, lurking intruders that strike fear into the heart of every parent? What are we doing to protect these homes from one of a parent’s worst fears – lice?
Learn the warning signs and symptoms of early lice detection. This could be the key for you to keep your home free from lice.
Detection Signs and Symptoms
Most people believe that searching a scalp for lice will be an easy process. The fact is, it takes patience and a keen eye. A single louse is not easily detected, even as it lives on a scalp. They are masters of disguise at blending in and burrowing into hair strands. They scurry quickly away from light and can be missed. Also, just a few adult bugs can start a real problem as they begin to quickly lay eggs at the base of the scalp. In other words, don’t just assume that your child is not affected because you do not see adult lice crawling around.
Look for nits, or eggs. Most effective when using a fine, tooth comb, gently go through the hair strands searching for small, yellow or tan eggs that stick to the base of the hair. Eggs are laid near the scalp to provide heat and moisture for the egg to hatch. It takes about 12 days for an egg to hatch. When it does, the nit, cracked and open becomes more white in color and is more easily removed. If you notice these they will likely be about ¼ of an inch from the scalp as the hair has had a few days of growth. It is impossible to rid the head of lice entirely unless every unhatched nit is found and destroyed.
Itching, scratching, swelling and open sores are the result of the insects feeding off of the scalp. They live on human blood. The small, red, circular bites can be spotted on an infected scalp. These are often times scratched so much that they become scabbed or open sores. The lice will also produce feces and saliva that irritate the skin and cause even more discomfort and itchiness. So be on the lookout for scratching and soreness. However, remember that the symptom of itching can take up to four weeks to appear. Catching the problem before the itching starts would be ideal.
Now that you are ready to face your fears, start checking your loved ones periodically for lice symptoms and signs. Parental persistence could be the key to keeping your home lice free. Contact Lice Clinics of America, St. Charles at the first sign of any problem. We offer professional help and expertise you won’t find anywhere else.