Head lice are small, parasitic insects that live in the scalp. Your infant may have gotten head lice by playing with another child who is infected, or by sharing a pillow or hairbrush with a child who has head lice, says the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board on BabyCenter.com. If your child's pediatrician approves, you can use home remedies to treat your infant's head lice.
Step 1
Place a towel on your lap and a towel on the floor to prevent lice from escaping and falling onto the carpet. If your infant can sit up, drape a third towel around her shoulders and sit her on the towel on your lap. If your infant is unable to sit up, lay your infant on the towel on the floor with her head resting on the towel on your lap.
Step 2
Wet your infant's hair with water and apply a small amount of store-bought conditioner to the hair. Depending on how much hair your infant has, you may only need a few drops of conditioner to fully coat the hair. The conditioner will help keep the hair from snarling and slow down the movement of the lice.
Step 3
Part your child's hair in the center with a nit comb. A nit comb is a small, fine-toothed comb that allows hair to pass through, but not head lice or their eggs. You can purchase a nit comb at a drugstore.
Step 4
Comb through very small sections of the hair, about the size and width of the nit comb itself. After each pass through the hair, wipe the comb with a paper towel that has been wet with water to remove the nits, says BabyCenter.com.
Step 5
Comb the hair until the comb comes out completely free of any lice or nits, recommends BabyCenter.com. This process may take up to an hour, depending on the thickness and length of your infant's hair.
Step 6
Wash your infant's clothing, your clothing and the two towels in hot water in the washing machine. If the clothing is not washable or cannot be washed in hot water, take it to the dry cleaner. Wash the nit comb in very hot water.
Step 7
Repeat the process every three or four days for approximately two weeks, or until you no longer see any lice or nits in your infant's hair, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep your infant entertained with a book or movie while combing her hair.
- Do not use over-the-counter lice shampoos on children under the age of 2, says Mayo Clinic.
Things You'll Need
- Towels
- Store-bought conditioner
- Nit comb
- Bowl
- Wet paper towel
