For many of us, lice are associated with poverty, social ill-being, war, and other disasters. Most often it happens. But in peacetime, you can meet with a disease called pediculosis. Most often, children from school or kindergarten bring it. At the same time, the school can be elite, and the class can be prestigious. How to identify pediculosis in children and treat it effectively, we’ll talk today.
Clean skin is no barrier to lice
Indeed, this is nothing more than a delusion. Lice with great pleasure will settle on the head of a person who regularly washes it. Everything is simple - sucking from clean skin is much easier. Therefore, do not get depressed if pediculosis is found in children. This is a solvable problem.
Another misconception is the need to cut girls. Parasites do not make much difference, live in short or long hair. If you want to destroy them by manual trapping, then long braids will certainly interfere, but today there are enough tools and methods to do without going to the hairdresser.
Where do lice come from
Children are drawn to communication, while they do not yet have such a restrictive framework as adults. They put each other's things on their heads, play head to head in the sandbox. Sometimes the guys near the washstand hang one towel for everyone. Accordingly, if at least one child in the collective has insects, very soon they can appear in everyone.
While the parents sort it out, already a good half of the children in the school and kindergarten that they attend will also be covered by this disease. Therefore, it is very difficult to find the reasons where pediculosis suddenly appeared in children. It is enough to notify the nurse and begin treatment. She will control the condition of the remaining children in the school or kindergarten, after which the problem will be eliminated.
Symptoms
How to detect pediculosis in children? The first symptom is itching. Lice feed on blood, and after bites, severe irritation appears. It is caused by a specific substance that is contained in the saliva of insects. Therefore, the child begins to scratch his head intensely. The most vulnerable places are the ears and the back of the head. This is where lice lay eggs and attach to the hair.
While an adult is alone, it is difficult to find it. The laid eggs are transparent, they are almost invisible. But in ten days a new generation will hatch and each female will again lay eggs. Lice multiply at lightning speed. Therefore, if the baby aggressively complains of itching, you need to conduct the most thorough examination of the head.
Effects
This disease in itself is not dangerous. But this does not mean that you can neglect pediculosis in children. Treatment must be started in a timely manner. The neglected form threatens with a mass of unpleasant consequences.
- A child becomes an outcast in society. Both children and adults look askance at him.
- Harassing itching prevents normal sleep at night.
- Infectious diseases, the appearance of pustules and ulcers on the skin.
- Deterioration of the epidemiological situation in public institutions.
- Infection with typhus.
And the very appearance of the child, which is constantly itching, is not associated in any way with the image of a healthy and happy. Therefore, at the first symptoms, start looking for the cause. If you are not sure that you can distinguish nits from dandruff, then contact your local pediatrician. He will be able not only to diagnose, but also to prescribe treatment. Pediculosis in children is not so rare, so any local doctor is familiar with the methods of control.
What lice and nits look like
If you saw these insects in adults, then nothing more needs to be explained. In children, they are no different. For those who have never encountered such a phenomenon, there is a photo. Pediculosis in children is difficult to detect in the early stages. When lice become larger, their presence can already be noticed quite easily. All you need is bright lighting and a dense scallop. Walk on their head and look at the subject of insects.
How to remove lice
Now we turn to the most important issue and consider the means of pediculosis for children. The main task is the destruction of nits attached to the hair. But the disease is quite easily treatable in the early stages. In some cases, it is possible to achieve complete destruction of the population after the first procedure.
In pharmacies today there are drugs of any price category. These are shampoos and lotions, emulsions and sprays, aerosols. They have different intensity and power of influence, but in general they are very similar. Do not forget about the possibility of an allergic reaction, so before using the most harmless-looking shampoo, you should consult your doctor.
Radical way
This is both pediculosis prevention in children and treatment. It's about shaving. Together with your hair you will forget about lice and nits. And the curls will grow back. Of course, this method is more suitable for boys. But if the situation is very neglected, then such a measure can be applied to the girl. You can go for a while in a panama hat or scarf, and then boast a stylish short haircut.
Home Ways
There are completely safe and affordable remedies for pediculosis for children. These are the recipes of traditional medicine that were used by older generations when nothing was more effective. And the easiest way to reduce the population is combing with a comb. It will take a long time to fight, but even so it is possible to defeat pediculosis in children.
Home treatment is often combined with this method, so you should buy a frequent scallop with a dense row of teeth. This procedure is required every day, until the complete destruction of the parasites. After washing your hair, you need to thoroughly dry your hair, and then comb it. In this case, you will capture and destroy adult lice, but most of all this procedure is effective against nits.
During the procedure, a scallop can be dipped in a 3% solution of vinegar. This will facilitate the process of extermination of parasites. Do not be surprised that for several days you do not observe insects, comb out a clean head, when suddenly they reappear in large numbers. It just hatched the larvae. They stick to the hair so tightly that it can be difficult to remove. Now it is important to destroy the insects before they have time to lay new eggs.
Folk ways of struggle
Sometimes, at the most inopportune moment, pediculosis in children can be detected. How to treat at home? The simplest means that are in every house will help, do not represent a deficit and are quite inexpensive.
- Ethanol. Today, this method is not considered effective. Alcohol can negatively affect the delicate scalp. In addition, alcohol vapors are not at all useful for inhalation.
- Vinegar. It is considered the number one product for treating this problem. We hasten to disappoint you, it is impossible to destroy adult insects with his help. But wetting the hair with vinegar ensures the removal of nits, which facilitates combing. Do not forget that the concentration should not be more than 5%, otherwise you can cause a scalp burn.
- Dustova soap. It has a high alkaline rate and is detrimental to insects. But do not forget that this substance is able to accumulate in the body, so you should not resort to it unless absolutely necessary.
Healing herbs
They can hardly be called reliable helpers in the fight against insects. But for the prevention of pediculosis in children, they may well be suitable. Rinsing the scalp with decoctions of herbs, you can avoid infection with a passing contact. The best herbs for pediculosis are considered rosemary, mint, and spur. But rosemary is a poisonous herb, so you need to handle it very carefully.
Onions and garlic are two more plants that help a lot when fighting insects. They make gruel and apply to the scalp for an hour. It is also important to act carefully - caustic juice can cause burns.
Essential oils against lice
This is also an effective way to combat insects, judging by the reviews. From pediculosis for children, aromatic oils are used, which, plus everything, have a pleasant smell. They, like herbs, perfectly serve not only for treatment, but also for the prevention of infection.
Mint and tea tree, bergamot and tea tree, lemon balm and thyme, wormwood and rosemary are very effective. They are used as an additive to any base vegetable oil. For 2-3 tablespoons of the base, only a few drops are required. Do not forget that essential oils can cause an allergic reaction, so they are practically not used to treat children under 5 years old.
Natural juices
Most often we mean cranberry or pomegranate. Due to the acid contained in the composition, they destroy the sticky substance, due to which lice are held on the head. As a result, combing efficiency is increased.
- Cranberry juice is prepared by chopping several handfuls of berries. After this, the raw materials should be rubbed into the scalp and left for 15 minutes, then rinse. If the head already has combed sores, then using acidic juice is not recommended.
- Pomegranate juice with mint can kill even adult parasites. In a glass of pomegranate juice, you need to add a few drops of peppermint essential oil and rub the composition into the hair roots. After a few minutes, you need to wash your hair.
Mayonnaise
This is another simple and affordable tool that can come in handy if you do not know how to treat pediculosis in children. But it works only against adult insects. The greasy composition envelops insects and the scalp, depriving them of oxygen and nutrition. Apply it in a thick layer on the head and cover it with a plastic bag. Leave it overnight, and in the morning you will need to wash your hair and comb out all the dead insects. Ideally, the procedure is repeated every day for 10 days. This will get rid of all parasites as they hatch. Judging by the reviews, the method is quite effective and safe even for children. Instead of mayonnaise, you can take petroleum jelly, the effect will be exactly the same.
Drug treatment
Some parents believe that they do not have the time and energy to deal with lice for several weeks. A tool is needed to help solve the problem quickly and efficiently. The number one choice is pediculosis shampoo for children. On the market today there are many proven tools that provide simple disposal of insects:
- "Pedilin" - it is recommended for use for children from two years.
- Medifox is a more gentle remedy that can be used for over a year.
- "Paranit" - is assigned to children from three years.
- "Higia" for schoolchildren, from five years and older
According to most parents, these are the best remedies for pediculosis for children. No need to wrap your hair and wait. Just wash my head in the usual way, following the instructions. After a few days, repeat the procedure - and the problem is solved.
Spray Series
There are other safe drugs. Pediculosis treatment in children can be performed using sprays. To do this, after washing the hair, simply distribute the composition along the entire length of the hair and comb it. After that, there is no need to even comb out insects, they will die and fall from their heads themselves. When choosing a spray, one must take into account the patient's age, degree of infection, and patient characteristics.
- For children of all ages, LiceGuard is suitable. Judging by the reviews, it is usually taken if lice are found in young children younger than two years old. True, the hair length at this time is still very small, and in most cases the problem can be solved simply by shaving your head.
- "Couple Plus" is suitable for children from 2.5 years old, that is, just for those who go to kindergarten.
- "Nowhere" - for children over 3 years old.
- "Paranit" - from 5 years.
The choice of pharmacy products
All of them can be divided into two large groups. One of them contains powerful insecticides that are not too dangerous for the child's body. The second group is made on the basis of essential oils. The safest can be considered:
- Already mentioned above spray "Paranit". The active ingredient is a mixture of ylang-ylang, coconut and anise oils.
- Emulsion "Pedilis". It is made on the basis of clove oil.
Do not forget that all essential oils can cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is important to first apply a small amount of the solution to the elbow bend and observe. If there is no allergic reaction, then you can perform the treatment of the entire head.
Preventive measures
While the child is small, he is mostly at home. Despite the fact that there is a chance to catch lice in the yard, in the sandbox, it is very small. That is, he falls into the risk category when he goes to the garden, and then to school. Often lice are brought by children from the camps. That is, all places of a large concentration of children are a certain risk.
As preventive measures, a regular head examination, timely hygiene procedures can be called. It’s very good, every time you visit the bathhouse, it’s steamy, it not only boosts immunity, but also really dislikes parasites. When taking a hot bath, add a few drops of essential oils to it. Of course, these measures can not completely prevent the appearance of lice, but they will become serious protection. And most importantly: if a child complains that his head is itching, then study it with utmost care. Better yet, go see a doctor.
Rules for treating scalp
Be sure to do it in the afternoon, in bright light. It is necessary to ensure the ventilation of the room, because all the remedies for lice have a specific smell. Before applying special products, it is important to cover your shoulders with a towel to protect your skin from burns and irritation.
Re-check the scalp for wounds. If they are, then it is advisable to postpone the procedure or replace with more gentle methods (combing). If there is no damage to the skin, then you can apply the remedy to wet hair. The drug must be kept for at least 30 minutes. It is very important to ensure that the composition does not get into the eyes or mouth of the child. This is an important point, as it can lead to poisoning.
When can I go back to school
If you notice insects on your child’s head, you need to call the school and report the problem. Thanks to this, they will conduct a full check of the remaining students. Accordingly, the probability of returning to school and again encountering infection will be excluded. After that, you can contact your local doctor for the appointment of treatment.
Judging by the reviews of the parents, “ParaPlus” and “Pedilin”, spray and shampoo have proven themselves best in the fight against parasites. A pharmacy scallop also helps. Its special teeth injure adults and larvae, which allows to reduce the population. If you managed to notice on time and the nits were not delayed, then only one procedure is required. Otherwise, you need to repeat it. All products have instructions for use. It is required to strictly observe it. Contact with eyes and other mucous membranes is not permissible.