cabbagehead
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Head lice are spread by close contact with a person who has head lice or their belongings. There isn't anything that head lice find more appealing about children than adults, but children tend to have more of the close contact associated with the spread of head lice. Young children in particular come in contact when they play together and are more likely to share clothes, particularly hats. Head lice spread between girls more often than boys because they have long hair, increasing the likelihood of contact.
While head lice are sometimes associated with bad hygiene, the lice and their eggs, called "nits," are immune to common shampoos, soaps, and laundry detergent. Regular hair brushes are ineffective at removing lice because have too much space between bristles. This means that lice can easily spread among children regardless of cleanliness. If your child's school or daycare has an outbreak, you should examine him or her closely for signs of an infestation. Almost any school district or community with an infestation will send your child home with an announcement along the lines of this video:
To treat an infestation, use a lice killing shampoo called a "pediculicide" on your child's hair. Comb out any remaining lice and eggs using a nit comb; this type of comb is usually included with the shampoo. Any clothing the child has come in contact with should be washed using the hottest cycle on your washer. Fabric items that cannot be washed should be sealed in plastic bags for at least two weeks before use. Combs and brushes should be soaked in a disinfectant like rubbing alcohol for at least one hour.
 Posted 5307 day ago
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