As the school year progresses and the colder weather rolls in, children are bundling up in hats and hooded coats. Unfortunately, these cozy items often end up in lost-and-found bins or piled together, creating a prime environment for lice to spread quickly among classmates. Contrary to popular belief, lice don’t discriminate; they can affect anyone, regardless of hygiene.
A few years back, my daughter, Lucy, was constantly itching her head. Initially, I thought she had dry skin or perhaps a spider bite, as I didn’t see any visible bugs or nits. I had no prior experience with lice and was unsure what to look for. Nits are tiny and blend in with hair, especially when it’s light brown. However, as Lucy’s scratching persisted, I discovered a bug crawling through her locks. Moments later, I received a text from another mom, alerting me that her daughter had lice too.
Panic set in. I rushed to the store for an over-the-counter lice treatment. After carefully following the instructions, I spent an hour combing through Lucy’s hair, trying to eliminate any nits. Finding those little buggers is no easy task! A handy tip: if a speck moves when touched, it’s not a nit; nits are sticky and cling to the hair shaft. I repeated the treatment a week later, following the package instructions, but Lucy continued to scratch.
As it turns out, we were dealing with “super lice”—a term I hadn’t even known existed. A study from 2016 revealed that lice have developed resistance to treatments in 48 states. Great, right? The Mayo Clinic has noted that head lice are becoming increasingly resistant to the active ingredients in many common treatments, hence the name “super lice.” They recommend beginning with medications containing one percent permethrin or pyrethrins unless you’ve been informed of super lice in your area.
It’s crucial to follow the instructions meticulously and treat again within 7-10 days. Additionally, you must remove nits every few days, as failure to do so can lead to another infestation. If you’re doing everything right and still not seeing results, it’s likely your home has been invaded by super lice.
But don’t fret just yet! There’s a more effective option available: in-office heat treatments like AirAllé or Lice Clinics of America. While pricier than store-bought options, these treatments are effective and free of toxic ingredients. They utilize high heat to eliminate lice and nits. Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics showed that various heat methods resulted in high mortality rates for lice eggs and effectively killed hatched lice.
Additionally, tossing hats, coats, and bedding into the dryer for at least 10 minutes at temperatures above 128.3°F can kill any lurking lice. While dealing with lice is undeniably frustrating, it’s a common issue among school-aged kids. Being informed about your options is vital, especially if initial treatments fail.
In the future, I’ll be opting for professional heat treatments instead of battling lice with over-the-counter remedies. Trust me, I won’t be taking any chances with this again!
For more insights on home insemination and related topics, check out our other blog post here and consider visiting Make a Mom for expert advice. For those exploring family-building options, Resolve.org is an excellent resource.
In summary, lice treatments found in stores may not be effective against super lice, which have become increasingly resistant to common treatments. If faced with this challenging issue, professional heat treatments may be a more reliable solution.
Keyphrase: Super lice treatments
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