Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Does Your Child Have An Itchy Scalp

By Jennifer King

Do you suspect your child has head lice? Have you noticed your child scratching his head often? Or have you heard of an outbreak of head louse at his school? It's possible to find out if your son or daughter has head louse by implementing some simple evaluation at home.

The easiest way to spot head lice is by noticing their eggs in your child's hair. Louse eggs are also known as nits. These eggs get laid by the lice on your child's hair shaft close to the scalp. This is why a head check depends on scrutinizing your child's scalp. Before the baby lice hatch, nits look tan, brown, or yellow. Once the nit has hatched, the shell will stay attached to your child's hair shaft. This is the easiest thing to notice, as it is whitish, looking somewhat like dandruff. The main difference between nits and dandruff is dandruff is easily shaken from the hair shaft, while nits are glued to the shaft.

On occasions you will be able to identify adult head louse in your child's hair, especially if the hair is short. These little beasties are tiny, no bigger than a sesame seed from a hamburger bun, and they tend to have the exact coloring as your child's hair. Most people grasp their children are infected when they see the adults moving through their kid's hair.

Head scratching is, without a doubt, another sign of a head lice infestation. In saying that, not all children find head lice to be itchy. Also, scratching the scalp could be an indication of other problems, such as dandruff or eczema. The itching from nits is commonly described as a tickle, or the sensation of something moving about on the scalp.

Children who suffer from sensitive skin, and spend a lot of time scratching because of the head lice will often develop a rash on their scalp. Head lice rash will appear as red lumps at the base of the scalp. It might sometimes turn into a more extreme infection that requires antibiotics.

If you have a suspision your child might have head lice, part his hair and observe the base of the hair shaft for the nits. Pay particular attention to the areas of hair around the neck and ears. If you find it a struggle to focus up close, you might want to try a magnifying glass. Be sure to do the lice checking in bright light. If you can't see anything, but the itching continues, it is time for a trip to the doctor. On the other hand, if there is persistent scratching, and you have heard of an outbreak at school or day care, you possibly can be certain that the reason is head lice.

To treat head lice you can buy a chemical based shampoo that can eliminate the lice. Make sure you follow the application guide to the letter, because incorrect use will not wipe out all of the lice. You will also need to comb through the hair with a fine tooth comb to remove any nits that are not killed by the shampoo.

When you have cured your child, wash any clothes that are lying around, as lice have the ability to live up to three days out of the hair if they are attached to clothing. Also, boil anything that comes in contact with an infected head, including combs, brushes and bows. It is particularly crucial to wash any bedding. Vacuum all furniture and floors. Then watch carefully for signs of any re-occurrence. If it occurs, start the process again. It can be hard work, but you can get rid of head lice with the proper steps. - 14130

About the Author:

1 comment:

lucia said...

Hematosalpinx (sometimes also hemosalpinx) is a medical condition involving bleeding into the fallopian tubes. When you are passing through this condition, simply Use Agbara herbal Deep cleanser, everything will stop immediately, this Cleanser will re-immuned your Womb entirely and you will experience normal period and Ovulation, get it from Africa Herbal store in Your Country, or You get to Dr Cure Herbal Home Via drcureherbalhome@gmail.com...