Head Lice

Head lice are small, about the size of a sesame seed. They crawl — they do not hop, jump, or fly — and they’re fast.  Because they move so quickly, it’s difficult to spot them without a strong light or magnifying glass.  Lice are usually gray or reddish brown.  If they’re reddish brown they have recently fed on the host’s head.

The main symptom of head lice is an itchy scalp.  Itchy scalp is caused by the saliva left in the bite mark where the louse has drawn blood.  Sometimes these spots can get infected and cause a crusty, red appearance as well as swollen lymph glands.  If your child is constantly scratching behind the ears or at the neckline, it’s a good time to inspect for nits (lice eggs) and lice. The nits will be close to the scalp because they need heat to hatch and they need to feed as soon as they hatch.  Nits are small, oval shaped and are attached by a glue-like substance.  They will not move easily if touched by a finger or comb.

Children can often be misdiagnosed with head lice.  They may have nits that are dead and far from the scalp, or have types of hair that resemble nits at the hairline.  If you are unsure if your child has head lice, check with your doctor.  If you don’t see any little pests running around on the scalp and the nits are far removed from the base, your child may not have an active case of head lice.

Treatment for head lice includes shampoos with pesticides, natural home cures, and nit removal with a special nit comb.  If you decide to use a pesticide shampoo, carefully read all the label directions and precautions.  If you choose for natural or alternative methods such as Vaseline, mayonnaise, tea tree oil, or olive oil, remember they are untested and unproven methods.

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