A head lice infestation is panic enough for parents, but what about our children? Children are very impressionable and for the most part, they trust us. So, the way we react to a head lice infestation will most likely rub off on our children. That’s why it’s important for parents to try to stay calm and at ease. That’s why it is important to try our hardest to stay calm and at ease. Comfort your children because they might be thinking the worst after finding out there are bugs in their hair. Let them know you’re going to take care of them. It’s our responsibility as parents to help our children feel safe and in good hands.
Head Checks
We recommend checking your child’s head for lice at least once a week and if you hear about an outbreak at school, check it every day. We know that kids are sometimes impatient and grumpy when we try to get in their personal space so we recommend checking their head while they are distracted playing a video game or doing homework or some other activity that gives you a good opportunity. Being thorough about head checks will help to catch lice before it gets really severe. The sooner you treat lice, the better the situation is for everyone. If you find out about a child at school or daycare or a sports team that has a head lice infestation, be extra thorough in your head checks.
There’s A Good Chance They’ll Get Lice
If your child is in elementary school, he or she is at the prime age for a head lice infestation. Your child’s head is like a ticking time bomb just waiting to be infested with lice. The lucky parents dodge head lice altogether and never have to deal with it. The unlucky ones are victim to an outbreak at school and the really unlucky ones have a child who got lice from their cousin out of town and they’re the reason for a head lice outbreak at school. That is never fun. That’s why we encourage parents to do frequent head checks. Anytime your child was around a lot of kids, it doesn’t hurt to check their head afterward. Your child may get annoyed, but it will save a lot of hassle long-term.
How To Explain A Head Lice Infestation To Your Child
Whether you explain what lice are to your child or not, is up to you, but there’s no reason why you can’t. Making it seem secret and terrible might make your child feel more scared than giving them a brief explanation of what is happening. We recommend making the lice process like a fun game for them and telling a story as you go. Give a head louse a name and make them the main character. There’s a book called “Bugs in my Hair” by David Shannon that does a great job at explaining head lice in a fun way. The facts mixed with playful fun make it easy to follow and fun to read. The book is a great way to explain a head lice infestation to your child. It’s a colorful and educational illustration with a little humor to lighten the mood of what can be a scary and anxiety-striking subject. This also makes them feel like they aren’t alone.
We know that the lice process can be ugly but there are ways to make it less scary for your child.