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Edgewood High School

Edgewood High School
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Lice 101

What you Need to Know!

What you Need to Know!

An illustration of what lice and lice eggs look like in a boys hair
What are Head Lice?

What are Head Lice?

  • Small parasite that lives on human blood
  • Like to be next to warm scalp
  • Avoids light
  • Quick little “buggers”
  • By time live lice are noticed you have usually had them for several weeks
  • Not known to spread disease therefore are not considered a medical or public health hazard.
  • They do not live on animals
How to Identify

How to Identify

  • Do NOT jump, hop or fly
  • They crawl from one head to another
  • Active infestation is presence of crawling live louse
    • Louse- Adult lice
      • Six legged critter the size of a sesame seed
      • Has claws to hold on to the hair shaft
    • Nit- Lice egg
      • Attached to hair shaft with sticky substance
A close up of a lice egg, a lice nymph and an adult lice next to a penny for size.
How do you get "Rid" of it?

How do you get "Rid" of it?

  • A mother checking her daughters hair for lice.Remove lice using fine toothed comb
  • Remove what nits you can
  • Daily removal of live lice and nits over next 2 weeks
  • Treat with “lice” shampoo like Rid or Nix
    • Follow directions on box
    • Retreat according to box instruction
  • Wash clothing and bed linens used within the past 48 hours
  • Vacuum house and car on regular basis
  • Clean combs and brushes in HOT water
  • Bag any items not able to be washed for 2 weeks
Avoid Lice, How?

Avoid Lice, How?

  • A5 kids in a circle looking down a the cameravoid HEAD to HEAD contact
  • Avoid whispering into friend’s ear
  • Avoid hugs, elbow bump your friends instead
  • Avoid sharing pillows at sleepovers and sitting with heads leaning together
  • Avoid wrestling with one another
  • Check your head regularly for lice to catch a new infestation early