$Unique_ID{BRK00127}
$Pretitle{Infections or Parasites}
$Title{What Can Be Done to Prevent the Spread of Lice?}
$Subject{nits lice causes treatment}
$Volume{A-20}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What Can Be Done to Prevent the Spread of Lice?


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QUESTION:  School has just started and we already have a note from the school
nurse that some one in my daughter's class has head lice.  This seems to
happen every year at this time, and my skin crawls when I think of those
things in my house.  What can be done to prevent the spread of these nasty
critters?

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ANSWER:  Prevention (and you know how I love that word) depends upon
education, education and more education.  Head lice have been with the human
population for millions of years, bear us no malice, but will accept every
invitation we offer, to join our household.  They get from one head to
another by hitching a ride on some convenient vehicule, a borrowed hat, a
shared comb or brush, or even the headsets of a "Walkman".  They don't jump
(fleas do that) so they can't leap from place to place, and proper hygiene can
keep them confined.  If your child understands the need to refrain from
borrowing caps and the like from others, and does not lend in return, you are
half way home.  Still, with a note from the nurse, you would be wise to check
your child's hair carefully for signs of nits.  They are small white specks,
firmly attached to the hair near the root, and are the eggs of the louse.  If
you find any, seek the counsel of your pharmacist or physician as there are
many effective shampoos, that can eradicate the unwanted visitors.  Special
combs are provided to remove the nits from the hair, and you will have to
search the scalp carefully, section by section, to be certain you've removed
them all.  Leave just one, and more are sure to reappear.  And you will have
had a practical example of the origin of the term "nit-picking" to help
further your education.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
