Head Lice

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Head Lice
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What are Head Lice?

• Insects that live and reproduce on your head
• Head lice feed on blood from your scalp
• Head Lice are a common nuisance, and are not
  considered a health hazard

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Who can get Head Lice?

• Anyone who has close head-to-head contact with
  someone who has head lice
• More common among preschool and elementary
  school-aged children and their families
• Personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or
  school has nothing to do with getting head lice
• Head lice cannot live on pets or animals, only on
  humans.

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Contracting Head Lice

• Head lice crawl quickly from head to head when in
  close contact
• Cannot fly, jump, or hop
• Head lice can be transferred when personal
  objects are shared
• - e.g. combs, brushes, hats

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Recognizing Head Lice

• Tickling feeling on scalp
• Itchy scalp
• Feeling of something moving in the hair
• Irritability
• Sores on head from scratching
• Presence of nits, nymphs, and/or adult head lice

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What do they look like?

• Adult head lice
• Tiny wingless brown insects size of a sesame
  seed
• Live for about 20 days
• If a louse crawls off of a head, it dies within 2
  days

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What do they look like?

• Nymphs
• Are baby head lice
• Smaller than adult head lice
• Mature in about 1 week
• Nits (eggs)
• Tiny specks about the size of a knot in thread
• Firmly attached to the hair close to the scalp
• Nits are usually found on the hair behind the
  ears, at the back of the neck, and above the
  forehead.
• Do not mistake for dandruff, which can be easily
  blown off.

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Treating Head Lice

• Ask your pharmacist for a recommended treatment
  product
• Only treat when nits or live head lice are
  present head lice products do not prevent head
  lice.
• Follow product instructions carefully to avoid
  re-infestation
• The products kill the head lice and many eggs,
  but for most products a second treatment is
  needed 7 to 10 days after the first treatment to
  kill any newly-hatched lice before they mature.

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Treating Head Lice

• 1. Before applying treatment, shampoo childs
  hair over a sink with regular shampoo do not
  use conditioner or combination shampoo/conditioner
  
• - many products require you to damp-dry the hair
  with a towel or blow dryer.
• 2. Wear plastic or rubber gloves to avoid
  unnecessary exposure to treatment product.
• - wrap a towel tightly over the childs eyes to
  protect them

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Treating Head Lice

• 3. Apply the head lice product according to
  product directions.
• - timing is important - if the product is rinsed
  off too soon, head lice and nits may not be
  killed. If left on too long, there is unneeded
  product exposure.
• 4. Rinse childs hair under tap, not in shower
  or bath, to minimize product exposure on the rest
  of the body.
• - wash your hands well after using product
• - do not re-wash hair for several days after
  treatment

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Treating Head Lice

• Many products require a second treatment 7 to 10
  days later to kill any newly-hatched lice.
• If you see active lice 8- 12 hours after
  treatment, contact your healthcare provider or
  pharmacist. A different treatment product may be
  needed.

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Treating Head Lice

• Talk to your healthcare provider
• If a child is under the age of 2
• If you are pregnant or breastfeeding
• If a person has a seizure disorder
• If a person has broken or infected skin
• If lice are on eyebrows, eyelashes or facial hair

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General Information on Head Lice Products

• Follow the directions
• Timing is important
• Do not mix products
• Rinse childs hair under tap
• Products should not be used near the eyes, nose,
  or mouth
• Wear plastic or rubber gloves
• Wash your hands after using product
• Store products away from children
• Do not apply to open or infected skin

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Treating Head Lice

• All nits should be removed after treating with
  product
• Head lice products are not 100 effective
• Removing nits
• will reduce hatching of eggs that were not killed
  with treatment
• will allow you to notice if a new infestation
  occurs

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Treating Head Lice

• To remove nits
• Part and lift hair to check for nits or lice
• Work under a good light (window or lamp)
• Live lice can be removed with scotch tape wrapped
  around your finger

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Treating Head Lice

• To remove nits
• Use your thumbnail/first finger to grab the nit
  and slide it off the hair shaft. A fine- tooth
  nit comb may also be useful, but are not
  effective with fine hair.
• Place nits in a plastic bag, seal and put in
  garbage
• Take frequent breaks, especially with young
  children.
• Check and remove nits daily for
• 2-3 weeks.

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Treating Head Lice

• Avoid home remedies no scientific proof of
  effectiveness
• Do not use flea control products, turpentine,
  paint thinner, etc.
• If your child has head lice, tell the
  school/child care facility and childs close
  contacts immediately to prevent further spread

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Housecleaning

• Wash in hot, soapy water
• Headwear, combs, brushes, pillowcases, towels,
  bedsheets
• Items that cannot be washed should be stored in a
  sealed plastic bag for 2 weeks
• Excessive housecleaning is unnecessary, but
  vacuum surfaces where heads have rested
• Sofas, car seats, helmets
• NEVER use insecticide sprays

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Controlling the spread of Head Lice

• Discourage head-to-head contact and sharing of
  hats, scarves, brushes, combs and headwear
• Check heads of all people in close contact
• Treat all family members with head lice at the
  same time
• Check young school-aged children weekly for head
  lice more often if there is an outbreak
• If head lice continue to return, call your
  healthcare provider

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• Recommended websites
• Perth District Health Unit
• www.pdhu.on.ca
• Huron County Health Unit
• www.huronhealthunit.com
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention
• www.cdc.gov/
• Canadian Paediatric Society
• www.cps.ca
• www.caringforkids.cps.ca
• Please note that information about head lice
• varies among sources

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For further information, contact

• Health Line
• 519-271-7600 ext 267
• or toll-free 1-877-271-7348 ext 267
• www.pdhu.on.ca