Head Lice Treatment in Children

Head lice are wingless insects that like to live in hair. These parasitic insects feed on small quantities of blood and can quickly spread from person to person. Three stages of lice can be found in hair--nits, nymphs and adults. Nits are lice eggs, nymphs are newly born lice, and adults are full-grown lice. If children are infested with lice, they will scratch the scalp frequently. This can cause redness and irritation.

Detection and Treatment

• If you suspect your child has lice, carefully examine her hair and scalp. Nits, the easiest lice to detect, look like dandruff. Unlike dandruff, they cannot be removed by using a brush or shaking them off. Nymphs and adults are more difficult to see in your child's hair. Adults are about the size of a sesame seed and appear tan or grayish-white. Nymphs are even tinier. Nymphs and adults move quickly and can easily escape the fingers.

  To perform a lice check on your child, part his hair into small sections and examine both the scalp and strands of hair. Look at the areas behind the ears, near the neck and on the scalp. These are common places lice and nits like to hide. If you are still unsure about whether or not your child has lice infestation, contact your family physician, school nurse or health department for further assistance.

Initial Treatment

• Head lice infestation is treated through either prescription or over-the-counter medication. This medication may be purchased in the form of shampoo, cream rinse or lotion. First, the child must remove her clothing. Next, follow the directions on the medication you have chosen. The medicine must be used correctly in order to be effective. Children with long hair may require two bottles of medication. After treatment, your child can put on clean clothing. You should not allow him to wash his hair until two days after treatment. Medication to kill lice should never be used on a child 2 years old or younger. Instead parents must remove the lice and nits with the aid of a fine-tooth comb.

Removing Lice with a Comb

• Even after treating your child with lice medication, it may still be necessary for you to use a fine-tooth comb to remove lice and nits from your child's hair. This is because lice can sometimes be resistant to medication. When removing lice with a comb, first wet your child's hair so that it is easier to remove the insects. Water temporarily inhibits the movement of lice. Continue this process every three days for two weeks after the last dead louse has been noted.

Bed Linen and Clothing

• Gather bed linen and clothing your child uses in order to eliminate lice from these items. First wash bed linen and clothing in the hot water cycle of your washing machine. After washing, place the items in the dryer for 20 minutes. Send items that are not washable to the dry cleaners. Another option for items that cannot be washed is to seal them in a plastic bag for two weeks. Soak brushes and combs for one hour in alcohol or wash them with soap and hot water. Finally, thoroughly vacuum the furniture and carpets.