By Marcia Anderson
Head lice magnified.
Summer camp season always reminds me of swimming, camp fires, s’mores and head lice. Head lice? Yes, my daughter was 8 years old that memorable year and attending a day camp. One evening she was furiously scratching her head and behind her ears. After bathing, I helped comb her hair and, to my horror, discovered head lice. I ran to the pharmacy that evening and picked up an over-the-counter head lice kit. My next few days were filled with washing everything in the bedroom, intense vacuuming and a frenzy of cleaning every corner in the bedroom. Within a few days, the problem was over.
A repeat performance occurred eight years later. My daughter was 16 and attending a series of week-long overnight sports camps. At this age, all girls play with their hair, imitate each other’s hair dos, and regrettably, share hair ornaments. That’s just what girls do. She should have known better! We had a repeat of washing all of her clothing and bedding and vacuuming. I helped her comb the nits (lice eggs) out of her hair. I notified the camp director and her teammates’ moms. Some of the other moms had found their daughters had the same problem.
Head lice are very contagious. You can get them by sharing clothes, hairbrushes, combs, pillows, hair decorations and hats with somebody who has them, or even being near someone who has lice.
The early symptoms of head lice are little red bumps appearing on the scalp, neck, shoulders and behind the ears. A scratchy head is also a symptom, as well as little white eggs found within the hair and scalp.
There are many ways to treat head lice. The EPA recommends a multi-faceted Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. IPM is a smart, sensible and sustainable approach to pest control. Smart because IPM creates a safer environment by managing pests and reducing human exposure to pests and pesticides. Sensible since practical strategies are used to reduce sources of food, water and shelter for pests. Sustainable because the emphasis is on prevention that makes it an advantageous approach.
The first step is identification – determine whether the problem is with lice or some other pest. Second, focus on sanitation by washing and drying (on high heat) all of your belongings that may have been exposed to kill all the lice and their eggs. Third, monitor for remaining lice and their eggs by frequently checking the scalp and combing the hair with a nit comb.
And please, forget the old home remedy of turning your children’s heads into salad by slathering them with mayonnaise, lime, garlic lotion, or olive oil to kill the lice. These little critters are not easily suffocated. These remedies, along with dishwashing detergent, however, may be useful in softening up the nits to make it easier for the nit combs to remove them.
Pesticidal head lice shampoo may be a necessary treatment.
Finally, the use of pesticidal head lice shampoos may be necessary. The bad news is that today’s lice are tougher to kill than they were 20 years ago when I had to treat my daughter’s head lice. This is because some have developed resistance to permethrin and pyrethrum, the active ingredients in many of the over-the-counter lice products. Read the National Institute of Health publication on resistance in head lice to the over-the-counter pediculocides and the blog on persistent and possibly resistant head lice.
Learn more about head lice management from the BioIntegral Resource Center’s IPM manual and the National Pediculosis Association.
If you continue to be infested with live lice after treatment, discontinue use of the products and consult with your pediatrician. If you are diligent and comb out the nits on a daily basis (such as every night during bath time) you should be able to remove most of the nits.
There are ways to reduce your exposure to head lice. Tell your children not to share combs, brushes, hats or clothing with anyone. Vacuum frequently. Finally, wash and dry (on high heat) any clothing they may have shared.
These tips can help you better enjoy the summer camp season!
About the Author: About the Author: Marcia is with EPA’s Center of Expertise for School IPM in Dallas, Texas. She holds a PhD in Environmental Management from Montclair State University along with degrees in Biology, Environmental Design, Landscape Architecture, and Instruction and Curriculum. Marcia was formerly with the EPA Region 2 Pesticides Program and has been a professor of Earth and Environmental Studies, Geology, and Oceanography at several universities.
from The EPA Blog http://ift.tt/1IWDuv5
By Marcia Anderson
Head lice magnified.
Summer camp season always reminds me of swimming, camp fires, s’mores and head lice. Head lice? Yes, my daughter was 8 years old that memorable year and attending a day camp. One evening she was furiously scratching her head and behind her ears. After bathing, I helped comb her hair and, to my horror, discovered head lice. I ran to the pharmacy that evening and picked up an over-the-counter head lice kit. My next few days were filled with washing everything in the bedroom, intense vacuuming and a frenzy of cleaning every corner in the bedroom. Within a few days, the problem was over.
A repeat performance occurred eight years later. My daughter was 16 and attending a series of week-long overnight sports camps. At this age, all girls play with their hair, imitate each other’s hair dos, and regrettably, share hair ornaments. That’s just what girls do. She should have known better! We had a repeat of washing all of her clothing and bedding and vacuuming. I helped her comb the nits (lice eggs) out of her hair. I notified the camp director and her teammates’ moms. Some of the other moms had found their daughters had the same problem.
Head lice are very contagious. You can get them by sharing clothes, hairbrushes, combs, pillows, hair decorations and hats with somebody who has them, or even being near someone who has lice.
The early symptoms of head lice are little red bumps appearing on the scalp, neck, shoulders and behind the ears. A scratchy head is also a symptom, as well as little white eggs found within the hair and scalp.
There are many ways to treat head lice. The EPA recommends a multi-faceted Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. IPM is a smart, sensible and sustainable approach to pest control. Smart because IPM creates a safer environment by managing pests and reducing human exposure to pests and pesticides. Sensible since practical strategies are used to reduce sources of food, water and shelter for pests. Sustainable because the emphasis is on prevention that makes it an advantageous approach.
The first step is identification – determine whether the problem is with lice or some other pest. Second, focus on sanitation by washing and drying (on high heat) all of your belongings that may have been exposed to kill all the lice and their eggs. Third, monitor for remaining lice and their eggs by frequently checking the scalp and combing the hair with a nit comb.
And please, forget the old home remedy of turning your children’s heads into salad by slathering them with mayonnaise, lime, garlic lotion, or olive oil to kill the lice. These little critters are not easily suffocated. These remedies, along with dishwashing detergent, however, may be useful in softening up the nits to make it easier for the nit combs to remove them.
Pesticidal head lice shampoo may be a necessary treatment.
Finally, the use of pesticidal head lice shampoos may be necessary. The bad news is that today’s lice are tougher to kill than they were 20 years ago when I had to treat my daughter’s head lice. This is because some have developed resistance to permethrin and pyrethrum, the active ingredients in many of the over-the-counter lice products. Read the National Institute of Health publication on resistance in head lice to the over-the-counter pediculocides and the blog on persistent and possibly resistant head lice.
Learn more about head lice management from the BioIntegral Resource Center’s IPM manual and the National Pediculosis Association.
If you continue to be infested with live lice after treatment, discontinue use of the products and consult with your pediatrician. If you are diligent and comb out the nits on a daily basis (such as every night during bath time) you should be able to remove most of the nits.
There are ways to reduce your exposure to head lice. Tell your children not to share combs, brushes, hats or clothing with anyone. Vacuum frequently. Finally, wash and dry (on high heat) any clothing they may have shared.
These tips can help you better enjoy the summer camp season!
About the Author: About the Author: Marcia is with EPA’s Center of Expertise for School IPM in Dallas, Texas. She holds a PhD in Environmental Management from Montclair State University along with degrees in Biology, Environmental Design, Landscape Architecture, and Instruction and Curriculum. Marcia was formerly with the EPA Region 2 Pesticides Program and has been a professor of Earth and Environmental Studies, Geology, and Oceanography at several universities.
from The EPA Blog http://ift.tt/1IWDuv5
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