Parents all over the country are learning the hard way that, YES! Head lice are an extremely common problem. In the event that your child contracts head lice, a million questions can run through your mind. How common is head lice? How did they get it? Who is at risk for catching it? Lice Clinics of Texas wants to help you through this challenge any way that we can. We provide head lice facts, insights, and treatment solutions.
Here is a list of information parents may not know when dealing with a case of head lice:
-Head lice are considered extremely common. The exact number of head lice cases cannot be known for sure, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that up to 12 million children between the ages of 3 to 11 will contract head lice each year in the United States. That makes it a pretty common problem among elementary schools, daycares, church groups or anywhere that children dwell.
– Head lice are listed as one of the top three reasons children miss school. No-nit policies are changing across the country as schools begin to understand how head lice are transferred and the risks that nits actually pose. Check with your local district to make sure your child is not missing school unnecessarily.
-High Schools and Jr. Highs are reporting higher numbers of head lice outbreaks as well. Some experts think this could be because selfies are causing kids to come into closer proximity to one another more often. Others believe handheld electronic devices such as Ipads, cell phones or gaming devices are making kids spend more time sitting closely with their heads pressed together trying to view a small screen. Regardless, teens and preteens are showing more and more cases of head lice, so don’t think they are immune.
-Super lice are creating situations where parents do not know how to get rid of head lice. Over the counter treatments and home remedies are not working. This is causing the spreading of head lice to be more and more common as the problem is not alleviated in ways that it was in the past.
-Head lice are NOT considered dangerous but definitely considered an annoyance. They are not a public health risk.
-The most common way head lice are transferred is through direct head to head contact. Due to this fact, people living in the same household are also at risk of contracting head lice. Having every member of the family screened for head lice is a must in order to really tackle the problem.
-Pets do not carry head lice. Therefore, they do not have anything to do with the catching or spreading of head lice.
-Head lice will die after 48 hours if they lose their human host. Clean couches, bedding, clothing or anything that can be harboring head lice or nits to ensure they are not passed on.
-Back to school time, summer camp sessions, spring break vacations, and winter breaks are all times we see significant spikes in head lice outbreaks. Other scenarios also present a high risk for infection such as playing on a sports team, sleepovers, attending daycares, etc.
-Do NOT panic! Lice Clinics of Texas is your best source for solutions to your head lice problem. Call our clinic today to schedule a visit!