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Lice Treatments
November 16, 2008 |
Head lice are an age-old problem that causes millions
of children to visit the school nurse each year.
Dr. Stan Wiggins is a pediatrician with Lee Memorial Health System. He says, “I have seen some cases of lice come through the office.
It’s a little human parasite and it can affect anybody, it doesn’t care who its host is.”
When parents inspect their child’s head for lice, the itchy critters may be harder
to find than you think. “A lot of time
you may not see the lice themselves because they’re pretty small and they’re dark
so it kind of depends on the hair color and how they show up.
You may be able to see the nits which are the little eggs that will be attached
to the hair as opposed to light dandruff or flaky skin which kind of moves around
these will usually stay in place,” says Dr. Wiggins.
These days some cases of head-lice may be too powerful for common over-the-counter
treatments. “If those are not effective
and in some cases they may not be, come on in and see your doctor and there are
some prescription medications that can be used, lotions or shampoos you can use
that should get rid of the lice,” says Dr. Wiggins.
He adds that it’s important to inform your child’s school about the head-lice,
especially if they have to be treated with prescription medication.
He says head lice are not related to hygiene and parents should not be embarrassed
about mentioning the condition to their child’s pediatrician.
Head lice tend to be most common in children 12-years-old and younger. |
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