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Lice Clinics of America®- Heartland Provides Tips on How To Prevent Head Lice at Summer Camp

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As parents start planning to send their children to camp this summer, Susan Truluck of Lice Clinics of America – Heartland, has several tips for how parents can avoid welcoming head lice into their homes when their children return from camp.

“Camps are a peak time for head lice because campers are together 24 hours a day eating, drinking, playing, and sleeping in close quarters,” said Susan Truluck, owner of Lice Clinics of America – Heartland. “We see an uptick every summer. The old saying that ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ is very true in this case.”

“Head lice spread almost entirely through head-to-head contact or, more precisely, through hair-to-hair contact,” Susan Truluck said. “Summer camp creates lots of opportunities for hair-to-hair contact: sleeping with heads close together, hugging, huddling over phones to look at photos, crowding together for selfies—all the things that kids do naturally when in groups.”

What can you do to make sure your child doesn’t bring lice home from camp? Here are a few tips from Susan:

 

  1. Encourage children to avoid head to head contact with other kids. If they have had head lice in the past, they’ll know what having head lice is like and want to prevent it from happening again.

 

  1. Keep girls’ hair pulled back in braids or buns. Short or tightly bound hair reduces the risk of hair-to-hair contact.

 

  1. Discourage kids from sharing combs or brushes.

 

  1. Schedule a head lice screening for your child by a head-lice professional before and after camp to make sure your child isn’t bringing head lice to camp in the first place. Lice can be difficult to detect by the untrained eye. After camp, a head lice screening is important because early detection can make treatment faster and easier, and prevent the spread of head lice at home.

 

  1. Use a preventive product before and during camp. If your child is going to camp longer than one week, make sure there’s enough product to last.

 

  1. Check with your child’s camp to see if they have a lice policy. Some camps check all campers upon arrival while others send kids home when they are found to have head lice. Make sure you know what you’re signing up for!

 

If your child does come home with head lice, don’t worry. There are treatments available that are fast and easy. Lice Clinics of America, the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers, offers a breakthrough treatment called the AirAllé® device, using warm air to dehydrate lice and eggs in about an hour. The AirAllé device is guaranteed to be effective and clinically proven to kill live lice and more than 99 percent of eggs (nits). Lice Clinics of America also offers pesticide-free home treatment products.

There are more than 300 Lice Clinics of America treatment centers in over 30 countries, and the AirAllé device has successfully treated more than 400,000 people with a success rate better than 99 percent. To learn more or to find a clinic near you, visit www.liceclinicsofamerica.com.

5 English Terms Inspired by Lice

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Lice have been humankind’s constant companions since almost the very beginning of our species. Scientists hypothesize that lice first claimed humans as their host around 5 million years ago, and they’ve been around ever since. Despite millennia of fighting lice with a variety of techniques, we can’t seem to exterminate them completely.

Furthermore, the head lice that we continue to struggle with only choose human hosts. Though many other types of lice (or parasitic insects in general) will settle for any warm-blooded host, Pediculus humanus capitis will only feed on humans.

Throughout history, despite all the changes the human species has undergone, lice have remained pretty much unchanged.  Although they aren’t as commonplace as they were in the Middle Ages, the fact remains that anyone—from Egyptian pharaohs to the other students in your child’s kindergarten class—are susceptible to a louse infestation.

Because of our long shared history, it only makes sense that lice have made their way into our language. Here are a few common English terms that can be traced back to our parasitic companions.

Lousy

Many English words and phrases have murky origins that are hard to trace. This is not the case with “lousy.” The word was originally used in the 1300s to mean “infested with lice,” which evolved over time to serve as a synonym for “bad” or “poor.” The idea is that something swarming with lice must not be very worthwhile or valuable.

In the 19th century, American writers began using a new idiomatic definition of the word, based on its original definition of “infested with lice.” Lousy came to mean “full of” something, or possessing much of something. One could say a person was “lousy” with wealth, meaning that they were extremely rich.

Crummy

As a slang term, crummy is synonymous with lousy. It can mean something along the lines of shabby and dirty (“a crummy hotel”), worthless or inferior (“a crummy job”), or sick and poorly (“I feel crummy”). The word likely developed from a slang term for louse—crumb—due to the physical appearance of lice eggs. Someone with head lice looked like they had crumbs in their hair.

Much like lousy, the meaning of the word crummy refers to the idea that someone or someplace infected with lice is dirty or less valuable.

Nitpicky

Someone who is overly concerned with small trivial details is often called a nitpicker, or nitpicky. Often, to completely eradicate a lice infestation, the person administering treatment needs to take a very fine comb and individually pick the lice eggs, or nits, out of the hair. Since lice lay their eggs on hair strands and the nits are miniscule, the process can be tedious and time-consuming.

Although the need to pick out nits has been around for millions of years, the term “nitpicky,” which means “overly critical,” only entered the English language recently. The Oxford English Dictionary lists the first recorded usage of “nitpicker” as 1951, when it was used to describe someone who spent a long time worrying about small details without offering any positive changes. The word “nitpicky” followed shortly thereafter.

Cooties

While cooties is not a term regularly found in formal or mature conversation, it was likely a part of your childhood if you grew up in the 20th century. “Cooties” are imaginary bugs that are usually passed through contact with a child of the opposite sex.

The term entered the English language during World War I, when British soldiers used it to describe the lice that infested their trenches. One newspaper, published in 1918, described the cooties suffered by soldiers as a fourth of an inch long with large, painful fangs. The word likely originated from kuto, a word used in many Polynesian languages to mean a parasitic insect—such as lice.

The word gained popularity in the United States after World War II, likely due to the influence of American and British soldiers who were stationed in the South Pacific.   

Having a Chat

“Chat,” meaning to talk, has actually been in use as a verb for several centuries as a shortened form of the Middle English word “chatter,” which meant to talk quickly and rapidly or to gossip. However, soldiers during the Napoleonic wars and World War I also used the term to refer to lice.

“Chat” made the switch from verb to noun because of the recreational activity of killing lice while talking to fellow soldiers. The group delousing sessions became known simply as “chats.” So if you ever find yourself a part of a group chat, you know where the term came from!

 

Although humans and lice have a long and interesting shared history, you don’t need to keep them around. You can appreciate their impact on the English language without letting them live in your hair. If you or someone in your family has lice, come into Heartland Healthy Heads for a professional delousing treatment. 

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head lice

Super Lice: The Next Pesky Supervillain

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When you see those white bits in your child’s hair, you’re already envisioning all the work and treatments, and it’s easy for stress to set in. While dealing with lice is troublesome, it can be even worse when the lice doesn’t respond to the usual home treatments. They may even survive over-the-counter chemical treatments.

At first, you may think you’re doing the treatments wrong, but after two or three of these common treatments, many lice can still push through and survive.

But how can they resist the treatments, and how can you get rid of them? These little critters are aptly named “super lice,” and below, we’ll discuss what they are, how they can resist chemical treatments, and what you can do to eliminate them.

What Are Super Lice?

Super lice are essentially lice that have mutated over time and have become resistant to pyrethroids, which are in common lice-killing treatments. This isn’t a new development; super lice emerged about a decade ago, and as of 2015, super lice were already in half of the United States and easily spreading.

Over the years, lice were regularly subjected to chemical treatments, and they steadily developed these pesky resistance genes. These genes are commonly known as knockdown mutations, and more and more lice are developing these resistance genes.

A study in August of 2016 actually concluded that 42 of the United States have lice with at least three of these mutations, and at the time of the study, Michigan was the only state that had lice that still reacted to pyrethroids and the common over-the-counter lice treatments.

Research has also shown that now only a fourth of a lice infestation can be eliminated by pyrethroids, meaning that even if the common chemical treatments work on some of the lice, they won’t get rid of the entire infestation.

With super lice taking over the United States, it’s more likely that your child’s infestation isn’t going to react well to all the usual treatments. But, if the lice on your child’s head isn’t eliminated after one or two chemical treatments, don’t fret. While super lice are harder to get rid of, the task isn’t impossible.

How Does Super Lice Spread?

Super lice spreads just like any other lice. The bugs crawl from head to head when within range. Lice can’t jump, and they can’t live long enough off the scalp to transfer through most inanimate objects, like pillows or other bedding. Generally, heads or hair need to touch for lice to get from one host to the next.

For example, if your child whispers into their friend’s ear, their heads may be close enough for the lice to crawl between them. Or, if your child is laying their head close to a friend’s, the lice can easily move from one scalp to the next.

How Can You Prevent Super Lice?

Lice prevention for super lice is also the same as regular lice. If your kids of have long hair, tie their locks up tightly to keep their hair from brushing against another child’s. Braids or buns are an excellent choice, and ponytails can also be helpful. It’s also a good idea not to share combs or similar items. If the lice aren’t off the scalp for a long enough amount of time to die, they’ll craw from the comb to another host with ease.

You may also want to talk to your children if lice have been going around at school or other areas. Educate them on how lice can pass from one scalp to another, and tell your child to avoid touching heads or hair with other children. Give them some examples of what might allow lice to pass from one head to the next so they understand what they should and should not do.

How Do You Treat Super Lice?

Because super lice can’t be treated with over-the-counter chemicals, you’ll need a more permanent and effective treatment. But while you may not be able to grab what you need from the store, you can get some prescription treatments from a pediatrician or family doctor. Lice aren’t resistant to these treatments just yet.

If you don’t want to go to a doctor, there are also some other effective treatments you can get from a lice removal specialist. At Heartland Healthy Heads, we can remove lice and nits using a combing technique, or we can eliminate them with an AirAllé® treatment. The AirAllé® treatment dehydrates the lice and nits, effectively killing them to make them easy to comb out.

Whichever treatment you want, we can successfully remove the lice, and we’re also happy to educate parents and children alike on how to avoid these unpleasant critters and treat them in the future. We also make a special effort to help children feel comfortable in an unusual and sometimes intimidating situation.

Back to School – Keep Liberty, MO and Olathe, KS Lice Free

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If you have a child(ren) headed back to school soon in Liberty, MO and Olathe, KS, you will want to add ‘check my child’s head’ to your back to school to-do list. Having your child’s head checked by a trained professional for head lice before they go back to school will save you time and money.

Lice Clinics of America in Liberty, MO and Olathe, KS recommends getting your child’s head checked for lice by a trained professional a couple weeks before school starts because children are the ones most susceptible to getting lice in the first place. Back to school means your child(ren) will be amongst a lot more children and more often than during the summer. It is these close encounters that make spreading lice a lot easier, as 97% of head lice cases are spread by head to head contact. Additionally, according to the FDA 6 to 12 million children in the US are infested with head lice each year. Make sure your child(ren) isn’t a part of these itchy statistics.

If your child does test positive for lice you will have enough time to effectively get rid of the lice before school even starts with our 3-step process, including our exclusive warm air technology which is 99%+ effective in killing both lice and their eggs. We would hate for you to waste your time and money on systems that don’t work. Traditional drug store products no longer work because Super Lice have adapted and are pesticide resistant. We have performed over 200,000 treatments with less than a 1% re-treatment rate–our system works.

Before your child(ren) starts school this fall in Liberty, MO and Olathe, KS, do yourself, your child(ren), and other classmates a favor to get their head checked for lice. It will put your mind at ease if they don’t have it and you, as well as, everyone else around you will be extremely thankful if you did catch the head lice in time! Keep KS lice free!

 

Don’t blame the school!

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Head lice are a nuisance for parents. Often parents panic, become frustrated when treating head lice multiple times and blame the school. In addition to being icky, treatment can be difficult, time consuming and tedious. Parents have been known to be very vocal about head lice out breaks.

Head Lice and School Policies

In the Kansas City area, most schools allow kids to stay in school with head lice or nits in the hair. While it seems practical for kids to be excluded from school with any signs of head lice to keep the bugs from spreading among the kids, it can do more harm than good. In the United States, children miss 12–24 million school days annually due to head lice and on average parents lose $2,700 in lost wages, childcare costs, and expenses for treatment. Schools also miss out on funding because students aren’t in school. Most importantly, head lice and no-nit policies create a stigma that can follow kids even after their head lice is gone.

Most schools in Kansas City, follow common protocols recommended by the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics. At school, the student is sent to the nurse to verify they have head lice. The parents are then notified and the child must be treated before returning to school. Keeping a child out of school for head lice doesn’t really do any good. Most kids with head lice have it a couple weeks before symptoms like itching appears, so they have been in the class room with these kids all along. Sending a child home with head lice does not actually eliminate the lice from the school or classroom. There is evidence that at any given time 1 to 10 percent of students in elementary school will have head lice. Not to mention parents, siblings and any close contacts outside of school might have head lice too. So, in fact, there is never a lice free zone.

Check often and Treat Early

The best way to avoid a hassle with head lice is to check often and treat early. Heartland Healthy Head recommends checking once a week for head lice. The earlier you find lice the easier it is to treat. Another way to avoid head lice is to keep hair tied back to lessens the possibility of head to head contact with others who may have lice.

Several treatment options are available for head lice including over the counter, prescriptions and home remedies. Heartland Healthy Heads is Kansas City’s exclusive provider of the Airalle’ treatment. Airalle’ is a FDA cleared medical device that works to dehydrate lice and eggs. Heartland Healthy Heads is happy to answer any questions regarding head lice and your school’s policy regarding head lice. Please call our 24-hour lice line at 913-730-6487. And we recommend you be nice about lice, anyone can get it.

Lice And Play Dates: Handling Your Child’s Social Schedule When Lice Are Afoot

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ed4e4e1c-93af-4eec-a87b-931c5e458558Getting together with friends is an important part of your child’s routine. Regular play dates keep your child active and teach him or her to get along with others.

But what if a lice infestation is going around your child’s school or neighborhood? When it comes to your child’s social activities, a lice infestation can create a lot of questions. Let’s look at some commonly asked questions to find out how lice might affect your child’s social routine.

Should My Child Have a Play Date if Lice Are Going Around?

A lice infestation doesn’t mean you need to lock your doors and keep your child inside. Dealing with an occasional lice outbreak is a normal part of childhood. And fortunately, lice are not dangerous. They typically do not cause medical problems beyond an itchy scalp.

It’s also unlikely that simply playing with another child will give your child lice. Canceling your child’s play dates probably won’t prevent lice and can instead cause conflict with other children and their parents.

If your child will be playing with a friend who you know had lice, talk to the friend’s parents. Make sure the friend has undergone lice treatment. If he or she has, there shouldn’t be a problem.

How Can My Child Avoid Getting Lice During a Play Date?

Rather than preventing your child from playing with other children, educate your child about how to prevent lice. The only way lice can spread is to jump from one head to another, so tell your child not to touch his or her head to someone else’s head. For example, he or she could avoid hugging and wrestling with other children when lice has been reported in the area.

You should also tell your child not to share hats, hairbrushes, pillows, or hair pieces with other children. Studies show that transferring lice through these types of clothing is unlikely—but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Keep in mind that it’s impossible to determine the source of the lice. Plus, like a cold or the flu, lice can happen to anyone. Teach your child not to blame other children for starting the lice breakout. Blaming specific children can cause these children unfair emotional harm and can also damage your child’s relationships.

What Should I Tell Other Parents if My Child Has Lice?

If your child does get lice, that doesn’t mean he or she can’t play with other kids for months. Of course, you should get the lice treated before his or her next play date.

The best way to treat lice is to take your child for a professional treatment. The professionals at Heartland Healthy Heads are licensed to use a special device that uses heated air to dehydrate the lice and eggs. Only safe non toxic products are used to end your child’s head lice safely and quickly.

As an added precaution, you should continue to comb your child’s hair every day for two weeks to ensure you’ve completely removed all lice.

Make sure you get all your other family members screened for lice as well. Your child’s friends don’t need to be screened unless they shared headwear or pillows with your child.

What should you do if your child was recently treated for lice, but he or she has a play date coming up? Children can typically return to school or daycare as soon as they’ve received treatment for lice. The same can apply to play dates.

However, if your child has had lice in the past two weeks, it’s a good idea to inform the friend’s parents. Let them know that your child had treatment to remove the lice. If the parents decide to cancel the play date, don’t take it personally. Let your child know that he or she can play with friends in a week or two, when you’re sure the lice is completely gone. Come up with an alternate, fun activity your child can do with you.

A lice outbreak is unfortunate, but it’s nothing to lose sleep over. Lice are not dangerous and do not spread as easily as you might think.

Your child should be able to keep a regular social schedule, even if there are lice at school or in the neighborhood.

Signs of lice include an itchy scalp and tiny bugs and eggs near your child’s scalp. If your child shows signs of lice, bring him or her for professional treatment right away. At Heartland Healthy Heads, we offer urgent, professional lice treatment. Call us today to make an appointment!

An adult lice is called a louse.

Getting to Know a Pest: 10 Interesting Facts About Lice

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ed4e4e1c-93af-4eec-a87b-931c5e458558

Lice live on your scalp and make your head itchy. Other than this, how much do you really know about these pests? Knowing a bit more about head lice will come in handy if you ever find yourself facing an infestation of these parasites. To get you started on your educational journey, here are 10 interesting facts about lice.

1. Lice Do Not Spread Disease

Finding out you have head lice can be a bit nerve wracking, but rest assured—these pests are pretty harmless compared to other bugs. Unlike ticks, mosquitos, and fleas, they are not known to spread any diseases.

You do want to have an infestation treated promptly since all of that itching can lead to sores that could become infected. However, you don’t need to worry about contracting a serious disease like malaria or Lyme disease from the lice.

2. Lice Are Incredibly Common in the United States

There’s truly no reason to be embarrassed if you contract head lice. You’re not alone! Between 6 and 12 million people end up with lice every year in the United States. It’s most common in school-aged children, but adults get it, too. Anyone who comes into contact with another person who has lice is at risk, no matter how clean their clothes, hair, and home are.

3. Lice Have a Three-Stage Lifecycle

When the nurse looks over your head or your child’s head and spots lice, what they see are not always adult lice. They often spot nits, which are louse eggs, before they see an actual adult louse. Adult lice lay eggs, or nits, along the base of the hair shaft.

About eight days later, these eggs hatch into nymphs, which are tiny, immature lice. After another 9 to 12 days of feeding, nymphs mature into adults about the size of a sesame seed. Adults are often difficult to spot because they scurry away so quickly.

4. There Are Many Species of Lice

The term “louse” actually refers to a group of approximately 5,000 related insects in the order Phthiraptera. However, only three of these species regularly interact with humans.

Pediculus humanus capitis is the species name of the head louse, which is the most commonly dealt-with of the three. Pediculus humanus corporis is the body louse, and Pediculus pubis is the pubic louse. Other louse species live on chimpanzees, horses, dogs, and other mammals but do not bother humans.

5. Lice Can Be Passed Indirectly

In other words, you do not need to have direct contact with someone who is infested with head lice in order to contract lice. If an infested person uses a hat, comb, or towel and you later use that same hat, comb, or towel, you may end up with lice. Adult lice can live away from a host for about two days.

6. Lice Don’t Always Cause Symptoms.

You always hear about lice making people exceedingly itchy. You see videos of people relentlessly scratching their heads as the lice bite at their scalps. But the truth is, some people experience little to no itching when they’re infested with lice.

Your level of discomfort depends on how heavily you’re infested and how sensitive your scalp is. This is one reason why it’s so important for school-aged kids to be regularly checked for lice. You can’t always rely on itching as an indicator.

7. Female Lice Can Lay Up to Eight Nits Per Day

What starts off as a mild lice infestation can quickly develop into a heavy one. With females laying up to eight nits per day, it does not take long for a few lice to reproduce and become several hundred. The sooner a lice infestation is discovered, the easier it is to treat—largely because there are fewer lice.

8. You Can’t Pass Lice to Your Pet

As discussed above, there are many different species of lice, and those that infest dogs and cats are different than those that bother humans. So don’t worry about snuggling with your dog or cat after you’ve been diagnosed with lice. You can’t pass the pests on to them.

9. Lice Have Bothered Humans for Centuries

There are records of lice infestations dating back to the 1200s, and they probably bothered humans even before this. In the Middle Ages, they used to treat lice with a mixture of pork fat, lead, aloe, and incense. Thankfully, today’s lice treatments are a lot safer—and less nauseating!

10. Penguins Carry 15 Species of Lice

If you do become infested with lice, just be thankful you’re not a penguin. They have it a lot worse, as there are 15 species of lice that bother them. And since penguins in the wild don’t have access to lice treatment, you can bet they spend a lot of their time itching.

Now that you know a bit more about these pests, you’ll be better equipped to deal with them if they ever do take up residence on your scalp. Do you have lingering questions about lice? Are you worried that you may be infested? Call our 24-hour Lice Line, and we’ll walk you through the diagnosis and treatment process.

Beat Lice With Style: 4 Girl’s Hairstyles for Lice Prevention and Recovery

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While head lice can happen to anyone, little girls with long hair are particularly vulnerable to infestations. Loose long hair may come into closer contact with other children’s heads during school or play, giving lice more access points to your daughter’s head.

Whether lice has been going around in your child’s social circle or she was recently treated for head lice, choosing the right hairstyles can help keep your daughter’s hair neat, stylish, and pest-free. In this blog, we list four hairstyle options that can supplement official prevention and treatment measures.

1. Ballet Bun

The sleek and classic ballet bun is ideal for little girls who have a high risk of exposure to head lice. The "wet and done" appearance of this hairstyle allows you to control virtually all stray hair.

To create a ballet bun, you’ll need a hair tie, several bobby pins, and a comb. You may want to finish with hairspray or hair gel and a bun net, especially if your child has short or fine hair. These extra supplies help keep the bun in place all day.

Pull your daughter’s hair into a high ponytail and secure the ponytail with the hair tie. Then, twist the hair in the ponytail so that it starts to look like a rope. Wrap the twisted "rope" around the hair tie at the base of the ponytail to form a bun. Secure with bobby pins and a bun net. Use hairspray or gel throughout the process for extra smoothness and shine.

2. French Braid

Is your daughter’s hair too short or too layered for hairstyles that sit high up on the head? Consider a French braid instead. The French braid looks beautifully complex but provides a simple solution for flyaways.

For a French braid, you’ll just need a brush or comb and a hair tie. Start by separating out a section of hair at the top of the head that’s a little smaller than the section you’d use to style your daughter’s hair half up and half down. Divide this section into three strands and begin your braid normally.

Once you’ve crossed each strand over, pull more hair from either side of your child’s head into the closest strand. Alternate between braiding and sweeping up new sections of hair until all your daughter’s hair is contained in the braid. Finish the braid to the end of her hair and secure with a hair tie.

3. Headband Roll

For an easy touch of Old Hollywood glamor, use the headband roll. This deceptively simple style gives the appearance of a classy updo without as much work or upkeep.

To create this hairstyle, you’ll need a brush, an elastic headband, and bobby pins. This hairstyle may also require hairspray, especially if your daughter’s hair has layers.

With your daughter’s hair down, place the headband on her head. The headband should be in about the same position you’d put it in for normal use, but it should not be placed under the hair at all. Simply slip it on over their hair. If your daughter has slick or fine hair, use bobby pins to secure the headband’s position.

Then, take a small section of loose hair from one side and tuck it into the headband, hiding the ends of the hair. Continue separating and tucking up sections until all your daughter’s hair is "rolled" around the headband. Use bobby pins as you go to prevent stray strands from coming down throughout the day.

4. Messy Bun

The messy bun creates an artsy yet put together look. This hairstyle has been on trend for years and shows no signs of going out of style due to its versatility and compatibility with most hair lengths and hair types.

Use a brush, hair tie, and bobby pins to pull together a messy bun. If desired, you can also use a texturizing spray if your daughter’s hair is particularly straight or fine. However, you should avoid using a texturizing product if you are currently treating your daughter’s hair with lice products.

Simply pull your daughter’s hair into a ponytail. Begin putting on the hair tie as you would for a normal ponytail, but pull the hair through to create a bun. Use the bobby pins to give the bun shape and personality—the messier it is, the better it will look! Just be careful of too many loose strands hanging down.

 

Any hairstyle that keeps your daughter’s hair tidy and off of her face, neck, and shoulders can reduce her risk of head lice. Experiment with accessories, braids, and other personal touches to help your child find her unique style even while battling head lice.

Remember that while strategic hair changes can reduce the risk of lice, hairstyling alone cannot prevent lice in all situations or get rid of lice entirely once your child has them. If you suspect that your daughter has head lice, bring her to Heartland Healthy Heads for professional screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

Is It Really Lice? Other Causes of Itchy Scalps

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Your daughter won’t stop scratching her scalp. You heard that someone at her school has lice, so your first thought is that she has lice, too. You rush to the store to buy all the lice-busting solutions you can think of.

Before you jump to conclusions, make sure lice are really the cause of the itchiness. Let’s look at other common causes of itchy scalps.

1. Dandruff

Your child’s itchy scalp may be simply due to a common condition called dandruff. Dandruff occurs when yeast builds up on the scalp. It causes an itchy sensation and causes the skin to flake off.

You can tell if your child has dandruff if you see tiny flakes of skin in his or her hair. Usually, you can remove the dandruff within a short time period by using an anti-dandruff shampoo. If that doesn’t work, see a dermatologist for a prescription shampoo or cream.

2. Allergic Reaction

Perhaps your child’s skin is experiencing an allergic reaction to his or her shampoo or another hair product. Your child might feel a burning sensation on his or her scalp along with itchiness.

If your child recently used a new hair product, that hair product might be to blame. If symptoms persist, see a dermatologist.

3. Dirt

The cause of your child’s itchy scalp could be something as simple as dirt. Perhaps he or she was playing on the ground and got tiny specks of dirt and debris in his or her hair. Washing his or her hair will quickly remove the problem.

4. Eczema

Eczema is an allergy-related condition that can cause itchy, red, and irritated skin. It can even spread to other areas of your child’s body, such as the neck and face.

Using shampoo and lotion may be all it takes to treat mild eczema. Taking short showers in water that is warm but not hot may also help, as can using a humidifier to create a more soothing environment for irritated skin. If the problem persists, see a dermatologist for a medicated cream or an oral medicine.

5. Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease. An overactive immune system can cause skin to become inflamed. It also causes the body to produce new skin cells, which causes old skin cells to push to the surface. Thus, you’ll see red or silver-gray patches on the scalp or elsewhere on your child’s skin. You may also notice tiny red spots on the skin.

Try medicated shampoo that’s made to treat psoriasis. If that doesn’t work, a dermatologist can prescribe another treatment or medication. Severe cases may require injectable steroids.

6. Ringworm

Ringworm is an infection that causes itching, rashes, and hair loss. You might also see red patches on the scalp and skin. Surprisingly, ringworm is not caused by a worm but a fungus. People can get it from touching soil or infected items, animals, or people.

If you suspect a ringworm infection, see a doctor right away. If the doctor diagnoses ringworm, he or she will prescribe powerful anti-fungal medication.

7. Scleroderma

A less common cause of itchy skin is scleroderma, a connective tissue disease. It causes an increase in collagen, a protein found in connective tissue. This causes hard patches of skin in different areas of the body. At the first stage of the disease, dry skin causes the skin to itch.

The treatment depends on the type and severity of scleroderma. It might include medicines that decrease immune system activity.

8. General Itching

Sometimes an itchy scalp doesn’t have a direct medical cause. There are a few simple ways to reduce scalp itching.

  • Wash your hair with warm water.
  • Clean your hair brushes and combs.
  • Avoid sharing combs and hair accessories.
  • Choose gentle, itch-free shampoos and hair products.

Also, encourage your child to avoid scratching his or her scalp, which only exacerbates the problem. Scratching can sometimes cause scabs, which can become infected.

What If It Is Lice?

Of course, lice are still one of the possible causes for an itchy scalp. Lice are tiny insects that feed on human blood, and they often live on human scalps. The lice release saliva, which irritates the scalp and causes itching. Lice can travel between heads by head-to-head contact or occasionally by sharing hats, brushes, or hair pieces.

Look closely at your child’s scalp to see if you can spot the adult lice. You may also see tiny eggs attached to your child’s hair. These eggs look like dandruff but aren’t as easy to remove.

You can remove lice with lice combs, shampoo, and other solutions. But professional solutions are a better bet to completely eliminating lice.

If you suspect lice, visit Heartland Healthy Heads. Our trained and certified employees know exactly what to look for to spot lice. We also provide thorough treatment options that will completely remove any trace of lice from your child’s hair.

How To Help Your Child Deal With Embarrassment Related To A Lice Infestation

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You notice that your child has begun itching his or her head constantly. When you take a closer look, you think you may see nits, eggs, or other signs of lice. A visit to an experienced clinician confirms your suspicion: your child has head lice.

As a parent, you understand that lice is a common problem that should have little effect on your child’s health or even his or her appearance. However, if your child has never dealt with this issue before, he or she may feel embarrassed or ashamed about a lice infestation.

Many children experience embarrassment related to head lice due to misconceptions spread by teachers, other adults, and their peers. Some children may also experience teasing or bullying, especially if a friend or friend’s parent thinks that a certain child gave head lice to other children.

Use the guidelines below to help your child deal with any embarrassment he or she may experience due to an infestation.

Educate Yourself

To combat the stigma surrounding head lice, you have to know what you’re actually up against. Telling your child or another parent well-meaning but false information can contribute to feelings of disgust or fear in reaction to head lice infestations.

For example, many parents have heard the myth that lice prefer dirty hair. This misconception leads to many children feeling dirty, lower class, or less attractive because they assume they must exhibit these negative traits or they wouldn’t have lice.

Learn about head lice transmission and treatment so you are better equipped to help your child deal with the negative perceptions that he or she might be exposed to due to misinformation. You can start educating yourself right here on our blog.

Share Information With Your Child

To combat feelings of embarrassment, empower your child with information. Explain that lice infestations are common and aren’t a big deal in the long run. If you or another adult family member has had lice, talk about your experience. Emphasize the fact that, even if you felt embarrassed at the time, head lice did not affect your overall life.

Be sensitive to your child’s comprehension level to avoid confusion that could lead to further embarrassment. For example, a young child may just need to know that he or she has little pests in his or her hair and that treatment methods force those pests to move out of the hair. An older child may feel safer and more confident understanding how lice spread and mature as well as what to expect during treatment.

Empathize With Your Child’s Emotions

It’s important to understand that while lice are not dangerous or an indicator of personal cleanliness and character, your child may still feel scared or ashamed. Your child’s emotions may be particularly strong if he or she has been teased about the infestation or treatment.

To help your child overcome these negative feelings, start by imagining the experience from your child’s perspective. When you empathize with the isolation, embarrassment, or anxiety your child may feel, you can better understand what comfort he or she needs from you.

For example, if your daughter has an irrational fear about what the lice or treatment might do to her hair, reassure her that her hair will stay beautiful. You may even want to apply a small amount of lice lotion or shampoo to your hair to demonstrate that the treatment doesn’t affect hair health or appearance.

Answer Questions as They Arise

There’s a lot of information to know about head lice behavior and treatment. Your child may forget what you have already said or may have new questions later on. As questions come up, give calm and clear answers to reassure your child.

If you don’t know the answer to a question, consider researching with your child or bringing up the question with an expert. These actions help your child feel supported and protected and fully informed.

Work With Teachers and Fellow Parents

Much of the embarrassment children may experience related to head lice results from the stigma surrounding these pests. You can learn more about diminishing this stigma through constructive conversation in our blog “Head Lice Stigma: Let’s Talk About Head Lice.”

If your child’s teachers or friends’ parents are wary due to the infestation, talk to them about the situation directly. Spreading correct information can reassure these adults and decrease any negative impact on the children involved.

Use these strategies to minimize the effect that a lice infestation can have on your child’s emotional well-being and seek professional treatment to eliminate the infestation quickly. Soon, your child will be back to his or her happiest and healthiest self.

Suspect your child has head lice, but aren’t sure? At Heartland Healthy Heads, we offer comprehensive screenings, important patient education, and effective treatment options to identify and address head lice infestations. Schedule a head lice screening today.

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