Menu Home Page Disease & Conditions Procedures Slideshow Pictures Image Collection Quizzes Medications MedTerms Dictionary
MedicineNet.com
ADVERTISEMENTAAA« Diseases/Conditions
Head Lice Infestation(Pediculosis) (cont.)
Brain Foods for Kids Kids' Illnesses Slideshow Take the ADHD Quiz Page 10 of 22Table of Contents
What is the treatment for a head lice infestation (pediculosis)?
For effective elimination of head lice, the infested individual, family members that are also infested, and the home must all be treated.Treatment of the individual and the infected family membersOver-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medications are used to treat the affected people and their families. Follow these treatment steps:Remove all clothing.Apply lice medicine, also called pediculicide, according to the label instructions. If your child has extra-long hair, you may need to use a second bottle. WARNING: Do not use a cream rinse or combination shampoo/conditioner before using lice medicine. Do not rewash hair for one to two days after treatment.Have the infested person put on clean clothing after treatment.If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment but are moving more slowly than before, do not retreat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair. The medicine sometimes takes longer to kill the lice.If, eight to 12 hours after treatment, no dead lice are found and lice seem as active as before, the medicine may not be working. See your health care professional for a different medication and follow their treatment instructions.Nit (head lice egg) combs, often found in lice medicine packages should be used to remove nits and lice from the hair shaft. Many flea combs made for cats and dogs are also effective.After the initial treatment, check, comb, and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days.Retreat in seven to 10 days.Check all treated people for two to three weeks until you are sure all lice and nits are gone.Treating the house:Treating the whole house is a laborious but important task. Follow these steps:Machine wash all washable clothing and bed linens that the infested person touched during the two days before treatment (to kill the lice and nits). Use the hot water cycle (130 F; 55 C) to wash clothes. Dry laundry using the hot cycle for at least 20 minutes.Dry clean clothing that is not washable (coats, hats, scarves, etc.), or store all clothing, stuffed animals, comforters, etc., that cannot be washed or dry cleaned into a plastic bag and seal it for two weeks.Soak combs and brushes for one hour in rubbing alcohol, Lysol, or wash with soap and hot (130 F; 55 C) water and then place in bag and leave in freezer for two days.Vacuum the floor and furniture. Do not use fumigant sprays. (They can be toxic if inhaled.)Page 10 of 22Table of ContentsADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENT
Related Slideshows & Quizzes
Bad Bugs Pictures Slideshow: Identify Bugs and Their Bites Head Lice Pictures Slideshow: What Parents Should Know
Head Lice Related Articles
BlepharitisChildren's HealthHair RemovalItchPubic Lice (Crabs)SeborrheaShareFacebookTwitter
Find us on:
View Site: Mobile | DesktopAbout MedicineNet | Terms of Use | Privacy©1996-2013 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved.MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment..........beaware of lice on preschool age3 -11 year olds;
...........use child I.d. kits to proactively safekeep child from sickos.....
Fingerprints
Have your child's fingerprints taken by a trained professional. If your child is missing, law enforcement can enter the prints into the FBI's National Crime Information Center database.
As with all of these methods of identification, fingerprints can be recorded and stored at little or no cost. Retailers, supermarkets and other companies often provide opportunities for parents and guardians to have Child ID information taken for their children. It is recommended parents or guardians are the only ones to permanently store their child's identifying information.
DNA sample
DNA samples are useful to law enforcement in the case of identifying a child's remains. In recent years DNA has become the "gold standard" for personal identification.
There are many DNA collection kits available, but it is simple for you to collect a sample on your own. Items rich in DNA include an old toothbrush allowed to air dry, baby teeth, a hairbrush used exclusively by your child for at least one month or dried blood from a bandage. These items should be placed in a brown envelope licked shut by your child. The envelope should be labeled and stored in a cool, dry and readily accessible place.
http://www.missingkids.com/ChildID
