With summer quickly closing in, many are making plans for activities for our children to participate in. One such activity is the attendance of summer camp. With so many little ones inhabiting a small space, there’s bound to be at least one child with head lice. Like many other things in life, prevention is the key.
Educating our children on lice prevention is very important since we aren’t there to protect them. We must be able to explain the consequences of getting lice without scaring our children or making them afraid to come to us if it does occur. They should however understand consequences like itching and bacterial infections. It should also be explained to them that getting head lice does not mean they are dirty.
How Lice Spread from Person to Person
First we must understand how lice travel. Many people assume that head lice jump from victim to victim like a flea. This belief is false. In fact, scientific research indicates that lice travel by physical contact. Their inability to jump or fly makes all natural fabric spray, bunk spray and helmet spray some of the most effective forms of prevention.
Physical contact is not limited to literally touching heads or hair with another person. Lice tend to move by way of inanimate objects. These objects include things such as brushes, pillows and barrettes. Furniture, including sofas and bedding are prime areas to contract head lice. All natural fabric spray drastically reduces the chances that your child will become infected.
Children like to share bunks at summer camp. This is one of the most common sources of lice infestation. We can’t prevent the sharing of beds. We can however safeguard our children by adding bunk spray to the list of things to pack.
Teach Your Child How to Use Sprays Effectively
Simply taking bunk spray with them is obviously not enough. Your child should know how to use the product correctly. You should also check with camp facilities to be sure bunk sprays are allowed at individual camps.
Another thing you can warn your children about is sharing of items such as combs, hairbrushes, towels and bedding. Again, this gives head lice the perfect opportunity to travel from one child to another. If at all possible, children should avoid sharing all personal items, but we parents understand that will not happen in most cases. When clothing, towels and hats are shared, fabric spray can be our child’s best friend.
Many summer camps offer baseball or other sports as outdoor activities. The use of helmets for rough outdoor sports is mandatory. Also required is that they share from a stack of helmets. A single infected helmet can cause a camp wide outbreak.
Ask your camp counselors if they will be using helmet spray for head lice prevention. If not, be sure to buy helmet spray for your child. Again, remember that they must know how to correctly use it in order for it to be affective.
Head lice prevention is never guaranteed. Your child may follow your instruction to the letter and still become infected. This is not a reflection on your child; only a normal part of life. It doesn’t mean you bought a defective bottle of spray, just that a louse avoided it.
Safe and Effective Head Lice Treatment
If your child is infected when they return from camp, you must decide on a method of head lice treatment. Over the counter shampoos and conditioners are often quite affective. Another source of head lice treatment is a lice prevention kit that comes with a special comb and other essentials to help get rid of lice. Head lice combs are very small combs have teeth that are able to grab lice and nits as well as eggs. Each product is different so be sure to read and follow all directions carefully.
Another method of ridding your home of head lice is to use a microwave or dryer. The temperature should reach at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Check product labels to ensure that the extreme heat will not ruin your possessions.
If the item in question cannot be subjected to high temperatures, seal it in a plastic bag. The plastic bag should be air tight and free of holes. Keeping it sealed for two weeks will ensure that all adults, nymphs and eggs are dead.
Liz Solovay writes about lice prevention and lice removal for the Lice Treatment Center. She promotes Jolis Cheveux, a line of 100% natural head lice treatment products. Find out more by visiting the Lice Treatment Center.
Article Source: Teach Your Child Head Lice Avoidance Strategies