Despite popular misconceptions, a lice infestation is not a result of poor hygiene or a dirty environment, so do not be alarmed if your child brings home a case of the infamous bugs. Since lice move easily from person to person, once one child has a case, they can quickly spread through a classroom or daycare. The most common symptom of a lice infestation is an itchy scalp, and you may be able to see lice or their eggs in hair. An infestation is easy to treat, but the process can be tedious, and requires careful attention and patience.
Step 1
Wash hair with a medicated shampoo to treat live lice. Cover the forehead and eyes to prevent the shampoo from causing irritation, and ensure the whole scalp and all hair is coated.
Step 2
Comb hair with a lice comb under bright light to remove and eggs or nits attached to the hair. Separate hair into small sections, working slowly through each section to ensure all nits and bugs are removed.
Step 3
Collect nits and lice in a bowl for disposal. Washing the bowl in hot, soapy water is sufficient to get rid of the specimens.
Step 4
Wash all linen from beds and recently worn clothing with hot water and detergent. All clothing or linen recently in contact with the infested hair should be washed and dried.
Step 5
Vacuum all living areas recently occupied by the affected individuals.
Step 6
Bag all items that cannot be washed, such as stuffed animals or outerwear. Store the bags in the garage or other out of the way place for two weeks.
Step 7
Inspect the hair with a lice comb or other fine-toothed comb one week to 10 days after the initial shampoo and combing, looking for any live lice, eggs or nits recently hatched or remaining in the hair. If you find any, reapply the shampoo and comb out the hair again.
Tips and Warnings
- Lice are small, usually no larger than a sesame seed. They are grayish to brown in color and blend in with hair and darker scalp colors. Lice eggs are very small and difficult to see with the naked eye and are attached to the hair with a glue-like substance near the scalp. Nits are the empty egg shells left behind after the louse has hatched; they are brown to white in color and are often confused with dandruff or dirt particles.
- Schedule a visit with a doctor for a positive diagnosis if you have not seen lice before.
Things You'll Need
- Medicated shampoo
- Lice comb
- Washer
- Dryer
- Vacuum
- Plastic bags
