How Do I Know If My Child Has Head Lice?
Many head lice infections cause no symptoms, and probably less than half cause itch. So you have to LOOK to find out if your child has head lice. Do not rely on itching and scratching.
Eggs are not difficult to see; use a strong light and look on the hair shafts. Newly laid eggs are usually within 1.5 cm of the scalp while older eggs are higher up the hair shafts. If you are not sure whether an object you find is a head louse egg, try sliding it up the hair shaft using your fingers. Eggs are usually quite difficult to move, whereas dandruff etc slide easily.
However, finding live lice can be difficult since the climbers move away quickly from disturbances in the hair, and they are very difficult to see.
An easy way to find the climbers is to use the conditioner and nit comb technique:
- Apply conditioner to dry hair aiming to cover each hair from root to tip with a layer of conditioner.
- Detangle the hair using an ordinary comb.
- Immediately comb the hair with a Nit Free comb. The best comb for this is the Nit Free comb by Lice Breakers.
- Wipe the conditioner off the comb onto a paper tissue and look for lice and eggs.
- Repeat the combing through every part of the hair.
- Examine the comb for lice and eggs.
- Alternatively you can make an appointment at HLC for an inspection or treatment.