Anybody who has ever experienced the excruciating torture of having head lice knows that nits are a huge problem. Head lice are a common problem for young children. The infestation is extremely contagious and spreads quickly through schools. It is a much bigger problem on girls than boys because girls often have long hair that the lice can hide in.

An itching scalp is the initial symptom of head lice, and you should inspect the scalp for them if you see your child scratching. It is not at all easy to see them in motion, since they are such small creatures. Lice eggs are actually what you should be looking for. The eggs are laid on the hair, close to the scalp. They are generally honey-colored and give the impression of dandruff, but they can not be brushed off and must be plucked from the hair.

What you need to do to find the nits is to first sit your child down. Take a brush and brush all the hair to one side. Start parting small sections of the hair and look at the part. You should look for the small insects, the eggs, and any irritations on the skin. If your child has been scratching at his or her scalp, irritations could become infected. If you see anything like that, you should go to the doctor to get antibiotics.

If you find nits on your child’s head you will certainly wonder how to get rid of head lice. There are a number of head lice treatments available and often it takes more than one. You should start by putting the child’s bedding and stuffed animals in garbage bags and quarantining them for three weeks until any eggs in the bedding hatch and die off. After, anything that can go in the washing machine should be washed thoroughly. Also any clothing that has been worn by members of the household should be washed in hot water or dry-cleaned.

You can buy shampoo over the counter. It is a good product to start with, although some lice build up a tolerance for these chemicals. You might need to go and get a prescription shampoo that is stronger. You should repeat treatment about a week after you do the first treatment. This will help ensure the lice are dead.

Carefully pass through all the (preferably wet) hair with a fine comb, removing all eggs and lice. Nits cannot live for long periods after being removed from the scalp, but it is important to soak all hair accessories (such as barrettes and ponytail holders) in rubbing alcohol for at least an hour after wearing.

Most parents will eventually need to know how to get rid of head lice. An itching scalp means carefully examining the head for the tiny insects or the eggs which glue to the hair shafts and resemble tiny rice grains. Effective head lice treatments must kill all live insects and all eggs. Special shampoos and lotions kill the insects and a fine toothed comb is use to remove them and the eggs, also called nits. Every one must be removed and killed. Clothing and upholstery and hair ornaments must all be cleaned, washed, or dry cleaned. Sometimes treatments may need to be repeated and some will require prescription treatments.

- norman horowitz

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