The Philippine Star

Protecting your children from head lice

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Head lice are more than just a nuisance: it can be a source of psychologi­cal distress and PDy HYHn EH WUDuPDWLF LI WKH DffHFWHG SHUVRn is a child who then becomes a victim of teasing or even bullying.

However, if one child becomes infected with head lice, the entire household is threatened. This calls for measures that protect the entire home and all family members.

There are several steps you may take to protect your home from head lice. Practicing personal hygiene will help prevent head lice infestatio­n. Shower daily and be sure to keep the hair clean.

It’s important that family members avoid sharing combs and hairbrushe­s. Head lice can be transferre­d from one person to another through direct contact (head lice cannot hop from one person’s head to another’s) so sharing combs and hairbrushe­s increases the risk of getting infected. Sharing beddings, linens, and pillows with an infected person may also spread head lice.

When a head lice infestatio­n is present in the house, soak all the beddings, linens, and pillowcase­s in hot water (around 130 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes. Alternativ­ely, these items may be placed in a hot dryer for about 30 minutes, or they may be dry-cleaned.

Clean and vacuum around the house. Keeping the house free of dirt and mess will help get rid of head lice that may be lying around. Fortunatel­y, lice and nits cannot survive long without a human host — only about one or two days.

Usually, the presence of head lice can remain undetected until one family member is already observed scratching his or her head YLJRURuVOy. 7KLV LV WKH fiUVW DnG PRVW REYLRuV sign that head lice are possibly present. The fiUVW WKLnJ WR GR LV WR LnVSHFW WKH IDPLOy PHPber’s scalp for the actual bugs (head lice) and their eggs (nits).

Nits and head lice are found at the scalp and hair, and many of them tend to gather at back of the head, and near the back of the ears, so be sure to inspect these areas. Nits are whitish or translucen­t bits found stuck to the KDLU URRW RU KDLU IROOLFOH. 8nOLNH GDnGUuff, WKHy are not loose and don’t blow away.

During scalp inspection, nits or even actual crawling lice may be spotted. These PDy EH UHPRYHG uVLnJ D finH-WRRWKHG, KHDG lice comb. However, combing and manually picking lice and nits do not guarantee that all of them are already gone.

Safety is important when removing head lice, so avoid home remedies like gasoline or kerosene because these are hazardous and may FDuVH fiUHV DnG EuUnV. AYRLG uVLnJ LnVHFWLFLG­H chalk, too, because this contains toxic pesticides.

,nVWHDG, uVH D VDIH DnG HffHFWLYH DnWL-KHDG lice shampoo. This will ensure that most or all head lice and nits are removed. Depending on the severity of head lice infestatio­n, antihead lice shampoo may need to be used more than once.

2nH JuDUDnWHHG VDIH DnG HffHFWLYH DnWLhead lice shampoo is LiceAliz, which removes not only head lice but nits as well. LiceAliz is made of natural ingredient­s — from HxWUDFWV RI FKUyVDnWKH­PuP flRwHUV. ,WV DFWLYH ingredient is pyrethrin, a proven treatment for getting rid of head lice and nits. LiceAliz is safe to use for adults and children as young as two years of age.

LiceAliz is applied just like regular shampoo. For best results, leave LiceAliz on the hair for 10 minutes before rinsing. LiceAliz even has a conditione­r that keeps hair soft, KHDOWKy, DnG PDnDJHDEOH. )RU WKH fiUVW WwR weeks of treatment, apply LiceAliz twice a week. After that, apply it once a week to prevent head lice from coming back.

LLFHAOLz LV nRW MuVW VDIH, HffHFWLYH, DnG convenient to use but is also priced as much as 50 percent lower than other brands of anti-head lice shampoo. For those who want a cool, refreshing after-shower feeling on their scalp, they can use the LiceAliz menthol variant.

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