Lice infestations are perhaps one of the
oldest epidemics, not just in America, but the whole world. The likelihood of your child getting lice can increase during back to school season. Children return from summer camps and other group activities where they might have contracted lice from someone or the other.
When they meet and hug each other or spend time in school projects together, they might share more than just summer secrets with each other. It’s possible for lice to crawl from one scalp to another very easily.
Why the stigma?
The fact of the matter is, anyone can get lice. It has very little to do with good hygiene, because lice don’t like dirt, they like to feed on warm blood. Hence, no matter how clean your head or your home is, lice look for the warmer spots in the scalp where they can hide and be able to suck blood. If more people were aware of this, there would be fewer stigmas attached to the condition.
If your child happens to get lice from somewhere and word spreads in the school, some children may feel hesitant about socializing with them. Unfortunately, isolation will only affect your child’s self-esteem and will do little to treat the lice. But children don’t know this. It’s our job as parents to make sure our children are well-informed about what lice are.
Here are some tips on how to address the issue with children, whether you are a parent or a teacher.
Stay calm
It can be overwhelming to find lice in your child or student’s hair, but the key is to stay calm. This will make sure your child does not panic and there is no unnecessary worrying. You can let them know it’s not their fault and that a lot of children go through this every year and everyone has had lice once in their lifetime.
Tell them it’s not deadly
Children may not be able to distinguish lice from any other insect, so it’s important to let them know that lice don’t carry any diseases. At most, they cause a lot of itching on the scalp and intense scratching can cause skin to break. This can lead to an infection, so it’s helpful to let them know to avoid scratching as much as they can.
Encourage them to be supportive
Let your children know that because anyone can get lice, even adults, it’s important to remain friends with someone who may have lice. You can ask them to discuss with each other how to
prevent getting lice. Encourage them to let teachers and parents know immediately and be wary of the symptoms.
Take action immediately
Even if you know about lice, the dread of back-to-school lice infestations can start settling in pretty quickly. Make sure you are prepared for it and avail our in-home lice inspection and cleaning services. Lice Troopers also offers screenings in schools and camps and offer
removal services in Coral Gables, South Florida.
