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News Release
California Department of Health Services
Number: 05-68
Date: September 29, 2005
For Release: Immediate
Contact: Ken August or Norma Arceo
http://www.dhs.ca.gov
916-440-7660
State Health Department Urges Parents To Take Simple Steps To Protect Children From Head Lice
SACRAMENTO - With children back in school, Interim State Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Backer, today recommended simple steps parents can take to protect their children from head lice.
"Head lice continue to be a problem wherever young children play together," Backer said. "Head lice can be transmitted from an infested child to other children through hair-to-hair contact or by the exchange of hats, clothing, combs, brushes, barrettes, helmets, scarves, head phones, pillows and cushions and other personal items."
Head lice are wingless insects about one-eighth inch long and grayish white or light brown. Head lice do not jump or fly and do not transmit disease. People are the only known hosts. Lice die within one to two days without contact to a human body. The lice eggs, known as "nits," are deposited on hair and take eight to 10 days to hatch. Once hatched, lice take another nine or more days to become adults and lay eggs.
Most schools deny attendance to children who have evidence of head lice. Backer advised parents who discover their child has head lice, or has been in contact with another child with head lice, to do the following:
- Thoroughly inspect the child's hair close to the scalp, at the neckline and behind the ears. Also, inspect the hair of other family members.
- If head lice are found, use an over-the-counter head lice control product. The most common active ingredient is permethrin, which is currently in Nix® cream rinse formula. Parents should follow the label directions carefully and not exceed the recommended treatment without consulting a physician.
- Remove all lice and nits daily with a nit or flea comb. This step is an important lice-control measure. Nit combs are available at pharmacies.
- Nit-comb the child's entire head every day until no more lice or nits are found.
- Remove any nits that cannot be combed out by either picking them out or by snipping the hair between the scalp and where the eggs are attached.
- Soak combs, brushes, hair bands and barrettes in rubbing alcohol or Lysol® for one hour or boil for five minutes. There is no need to apply pesticides in the home.
Following treatment with an insecticide, the lice may still survive for eight to 12 hours before they die. If the head lice problem persists, it is usually because label directions were not followed, lice re-infested the scalp, the lice were resistant or because it was a hair condition and not lice.
If over-the-counter products do not work, Backer advised parents to talk to a physician about a prescription for Ovide®.
Head lice control products containing the pesticide Lindane are prohibited from sale in California. Lindane is less effective and has more potential toxicity than other available alternatives.
There is no convincing scientific evidence that vinegar or other home remedies such as olive oil, mayonnaise, margarine or tea tree oil will assist with nit removal by lubricating the hair or suffocating nits and lice.
The California Department of Health Services has developed "A Parent's Guide to Head Lice," a brochure available on its Web site at http://www.dhs.ca.gov. Consumers can also obtain information by contacting their local health department.
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