HEAD LICE SCREENING
How to tell if you have lice
Head lice are tiny insects that live in hair. Nits are the empty egg cases attached to hair thatĀ head liceĀ hatch from. Head lice are a common problem, particularly in school children agedĀ 4-11. Theyāre largely harmless, but can live in the hair for a long time if not treated and canĀ be irritating and frustrating to deal with.
SIZE AND COLOR OF LICE
Head liceĀ can beĀ difficult to spot, even when the head is closely inspected. Theyāre very small whitishĀ or grey-brown insects that range from the size of a pinhead toĀ the size of a sesame seed.
DO LICE ITCH?
The most common symptom of any type of lice is itching. Lice bites cause an allergic reaction that causes this itchy feeling. However, you may not notice any symptoms for up to six weeks the first time you get lice.
OTHER SIGNS
A tickling feeling of something moving on your head, hair, or body. You may also notice the appearance of lice eggs or small white objects in your hair that you arenāt able to brush out.
HOW TO BE SURE?
The only way to be sure someone has head lice is to find a live louse by combing their hair with a special fine-toothed comb. At Lice Clinics of America, this is the absolute first step we take to determine if an infestation is present before treating.
HOW TO CHECK FOR LICE AT HOME
Get your childās hair wet in order to slow the lice down. Use a fine-toothed comb to part your childās hair, then shine a bright light onto their scalp. If your child has lice, youāll notice small, brown insects the size of sesame seeds moving around or nits that look like theyāre cemented onto individual hairs.