Head Lice Haunt More Often at Halloween

by | Oct 18, 2018 | Holidays, Lice Treatments | 0 comments

No matter how spooky your costume is this Halloween, an even scarier thought is bringing home head lice after a haunting night of fun and festivities. When ghosts and goblins, vampires and zombies unite for games, dancing, and trick or treating fun, the truth is that head lice happens more often than people realize. At Lice Clinics of Texas, we always see a spike in head lice outbreaks during the scariest time of year. 

 

Why do head lice outbreaks occur during Halloween time?

  • Kids compare costumes and try on each other’s costumes for fun.
  • Children wearing masks can’t resist passing it around to their friends for everyone to have a turn.
  • Wigs and hats that are part of spooky ensembles are likely to be shared as they can also be fun to try on and wear together.
  • Anytime that children are spending time together, those involved are more susceptible to catching head lice.  

 

How can I protect my child against head lice this Halloween?

As a parent that the most important thing you can do is to educate your child. It is almost impossible, however, to prevent head lice 100%. Yet, a simple reminder that sharing headgear, costumes, robes, wigs or outerwear for the cold is not a good idea can help you to eliminate the problem.

Perform head lice checks on your child before and after Halloween festivities. Acquire a nit picking comb and sift through your child’s scalp. Be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of head lice or nits. These include:

  • Red bites or bumps on the scalp
  • Itching and irritations
  • White or transparent colored eggs laid near the base of the scalp. These will not flake off easily like dandruff.
  • Adult lice crawling around the scalp, brown in color and the size of a sesame seed.

If you are not comfortable performing these on your own, Lice Clinics of Texas offers head lice screening at your local clinic. We can show you what to look for, help you determine if you have a head lice problem and give you expert advice on how to prevent and cure head lice.

If your child attends several Halloween events, take the time to wash or disinfect their costumes before they re-wear them. This includes masks, hats, robes or all pieces that their hair comes in contact with.

 

What do I do if my child has caught head lice this Halloween?

Remember, symptoms of head lice can take up to three weeks to manifest. The nits that are laid will hatch after 7-9 days and symptoms will start to escalate.

Also, if you do see signs of head lice, don’t make the mistake of thinking that washing the hair is good enough. MedicoRX shows us that head lice are capable of holding their breath for up to eight hours. Water is not an effective tool against eliminating or preventing head lice.

Super lice are now a super big problem across the United States. Several reports indicate the super lice are indeed immune to common over the counter products. This not only makes head lice more difficult to get rid of, but it can literally turn into a nightmare for parents.

Don’t let head lice haunt you this Halloween! Call our Lice Clinics of Texas office today to talk about our preventative measures and the most effective products on the market at eliminating head lice. We offer expert advice and professionalism that you will not find anywhere else.