What to Do When Lice Strikes this Season

Fall and Winter are prime time for not only the flu bug, but for another type of bug as well - the head louse!

Head lice season peaks shortly after the school season starts, especially among younger children. These ugly little bugs are most commonly found among preschoolers and elementary-school students because children that age love to play together and have close head-to-head contact. Despite the persistent social stigma associated with head lice, they have nothing to do with poor hygiene and seem to prefer healthy, clean heads,

So, when you discover your child or your child's friend has lice, what do you do?! 

Firstly, make sure it is actually lice, and not just a scratchy scalp caused by another condition, like dandruff. A great thing to remmeber when looking for lice is that nits will latch onto the base of the hair and won't come off easily, like a dry scalp. 

If your child does have lice, try an over-the-counter insecticidal (anti-lice) shampoo, but make sure you follow the instructions closely. If this doesn’t work, your doctor can prescribe stronger products. Don’t use insecticidal products repeatedly because they contain strong chemicals and can irritate and inflame the scalp. Also, using them too often may lead to resistance in head lice, making them immune to the products. Don’t bother nit-picking the scalp after treating with insecticidal shampoo. As long as the nits are dead, there is no reason to remove the dead bodies. 

Lice don’t fly, hop or jump and are only spread through direct contact with an infected person or by using an infected person’s hat, bedding or hair brushes, where nits and lice can survive for up to two days. Head lice only live on human heads. Deprived of regular blood meals, they typically die within 36 hours.

Looking for some more information? Check out the Canadian Pediatrics Society website for more details or Check out our 5 Steps to Tackle Lice in your House.  And don't forget you can call the Lice Squad!