Head Lice and the Colder Weather: What to Expect

Baby, it’s cold outside! It’s finally here! There’s a chill in the air and we’ve finally started pulling out those coats and jackets we packed away for summer. Temperatures have started dropping and there are fewer bugs to see everywhere! Surely, you can finally take a sigh of relief and stop worrying about your child coming home with yet another lice infestation. After all, don’t head lice die out or lay dormant when the weather gets colder? Right? Wrong! Head lice are there throughout the year, whether during the summers or winters! Here are a few things you need to know about head lice in the colder months:

• Head Lice Do Not Freeze to Death

Head lice require a constant temperature of 98.6 F to survive; which is the temperature of the human body! Lice cannot survive beyond 48 hours off a human head. Without the warmth, shelter and ready supply of blood provided by their human host, head lice would starve to death in just under 2 days! However, lice care very little about the outside temperature, and this is a major reason why the colder weather has absolutely no effect on killing off these parasites!

• The Way Lice Spread Changes During Winters

But if lice really don’t care about the weather, why is it that there are fewer lice outbreaks during the winter months? This phenomenon actually has nothing to do with the weather itself but rather with the way human behavior changes! Children are less likely to roll around in sandboxes and bump heads during soccer in the winter months. Moreover, heads are likely to be covered with hats, scarves, mufflers and earmuffs, preventing head lice from transferring from one host to another. On the other hand, these very same head accessories can become a cause for the spreading of head lice as children share items infected with the parasites! Similarly, children may not be playing outside, but this just means that they are spending even more time huddled in close, confined areas with indoor activities! This is the prime time for head lice to choose another human as their host and start the infestation all over again.

• Holiday Season Is The Worst For Head Lice Outbreaks

During winter breaks, children are likely to be spending weekends away at their friend’s where they share pillows, blankets and towels. The spread of head lice during the winter break period is actually just as high as the spring break and during summer camps! Pack separate bedding and give your child’s clothes, bedding and any other items he took with him a thorough washing as soon as your little one returns home.

• Conduct Thorough Lice Screenings

Just as you would at any other time of the year, the winter months call for just as much care regarding head lice prevention. Periodically check your child’s hair and neck for signs of an infestation, especially after they return from a sleepover. If you do happen to detect any sign of an infestation, there’s no need to panic! Simply head over to a Lice Troopers clinic near you for expert lice removal and prevention services. We are the leaders in all kinds of pesticide free, non-toxic lice treatments in locations all across America