We have all heard that prevention is better than cure. And one of the cases where this is most applicable is in the case of head lice infestation, which is common in childhood. In fact, majority of children who have lice either got it at school from another child or spread it to others at school.

Yes, once you get these tiny, irritating things in your hair, you become the main reason why others around you end up scratching their heads — literally!

I know it seems kind of gross to talk of having head lice, but almost everyone has found these teeny tiny things languishing luxuriously in their hair. And most of the time, we don’t even realise what’s making us scratch our head until someone looks closely at our hair!

Mothers are usually the first ones to find out. But in some cases, other kids at school spot lice in others’ hair first and this gives them something to whisper about, completely oblivious to the fact that a few of these very active insect have already made its way onto their own heads. It takes lice in one person’s hair to soon lead to everyone who gets close to the person becoming infested.

Lice spread very easily on close contact or though sharing of things that touch the head, such as brushes, combs, hair accessories, hats, helmets, scarves, towels and pillows. The highest incidence of head lice is seen in children between the ages of three to 11 years, and more common in girls because of their longer hair and the common exchange of hair brushes and accessories.

Now that some schools have reopened and the rest are opening soon, the spread of head lice cases are going to increase sharply as a few children suffering from this nuisance infestation are going to unwittingly spread it to others. What is important to note here is that no one, yes no one, willingly has lice and nits in their hair and those who do, got it from others and are suffering the discomforts of this condition. So it is very rude and hurtful to make fun of someone who has head lice or blame them for this condition. Chances are, they do not know how these unwanted guests came to reside in their hair. And such children and their mothers would have tried to prevent and get rid of this lice infestation in different ways.

So now when you all return to school, keep in mind some ways to prevent the spread of head lice and get rid of them effectively.

Not so close

Remember to not get very close to others, whether they have head lice or not. Yes you can talk to your friends and play with them, but if your heads touch or are very close, it increases the chances of lice making way from one head/hair to another.

Removal

Special lice-removing combs are effective in removing lice, especially when done in well-oiled or wet hair. But nits, the eggs lice lay, are more difficult to remove using such combs and even if all the lice in the hair are removed, new ones will soon come out from the nits and the cycle will go on.

Using special anti-lice shampoos are effective in both killing/removing lice and nits too, but one should avoid using them on very small children or too frequently. Make sure to go for the well-known brands of these shampoos and after washing, comb the hair well while still a bit wet, to remove the lice and nits.

Those who do not have lice but interact with others who do, should comb their hair once a week with lice removing combs to be on the safe side. Regular monitoring of children’s hair to check for lice helps to detect the infestation before it becomes too intense.

It should be noted that head lice can be found in people from all backgrounds, irrespective of health, hygiene or cleanliness of their unwilling hosts. Being watchful and cautious are the best ways to keep these pests at bay.

Published in Dawn, Young World, August 3rd, 2019