A significant number of us whispered about the cohort who left school early on the grounds that they had lice, the sly bug that make scalps their homes. The unfortunate, exiled kid considered filthy and unkempt, the question of our pity and nauseate. The thought lice are the immediate outcome of poor individual cleanliness is one of the numerous myths about the well established condition. Krista Lauer, medicinal chief of Lice Clinics of America, said lice don’t separate between the spotless and messy individuals from our general public, or the rich and poor. Lice are “equivalent open door infesters,” said Lauer, who contends it about time we dissipate those marks of disgrace.(Summer Camp in Forest Hills)

Lice infect millions each year

Lice infestations are most common in young children, who often contract the bugs through the way they play and interact with one another. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports about 6 million to 12 million infestations occur in kids ages 3 through 11 years old each year.(Summer Camp in Forest Hills)

‘Super lice’ are more prevalent

Odds are if you get lice, you’ll get what is colloquially called “super lice,” an evolved type that has grown resistant to over-the-counter treatments after years of exposure to the chemicals. Lauer said research published last year in the Journal of Medical Entomology found 98% percent of head lice collected in 48 states were resistant to lice treatment products.

Lice do not jump, swim or fly

Lice crawl. They can’t jump, fly or swim. They’re bugs of opportunity, Lauer said, spreading mostly through head-to-head contact.”That’s why we see lice more commonly in young children,” Lauer said. “Whenever there’s an opportunity for one head to another, that provides the opportunity for lice to move from one head to the next.” Lice are spread in children by playing in close proximity, at sleepovers, while playing video games closely, and even, posing for group pictures.(Summer Camp in Forest Hills)

What about selfies?

Lauer said selfies can be a cause of spreading lice. Anecdotally, she explained, doctors are seeing lice in older kids.

Hats, helmets and hairbrushes

Lice latch onto human hair follicles and rely on sucking blood from a patient’s scalp in order to survive. If they’re removed from a scalp, they can’t live very long. Therefore, Lauer said, it’s “extremely rare” a person will get lice by putting on someone’s hat, using someone else’s hairbrush or putting on a helmet. In fact, when it comes to athletics, Lauer said people should use another person’s helmet if the alternative is no protection. Why? Head injuries are true medical problems while a lice infestation is a “medical nuisance” with no long-term health effects aside from scratching and poor sleep. Lice do not carry disease.

What about water?

Taking a swim can’t get rid of lice, which go into a type of hibernation state when in water. Lice can survive up to six hours submerged.

What to look for

Parents doing a head check on their children should look for live bugs living close to the scalp and small eggs attached to hair follicles. A scratchy kid is a good indicator of lice. People with lice also may have a hard time sleeping and may have sores on their head from scratching. Parents should look for such symptoms particularly after kids have been together, such as after a family vacation or summer camp. The next step is getting diagnosed by a family doctor, pediatric nurse or at a lice clinic, which administer a lice removal kit. Removal includes rubbing a gel-like oil on the head, which kills the lice bugs and a special comb to pull the eggs from the hair.

How to avoid lice(Summer Camp in Forest Hills)

Particularly for parents, avoiding head lice is very important. A kid with head lice can easily infect the entire family. Parents should try to educate kids about not having head-to-head contact with other children and to avoid sharing hats and helmets if possible. If a lice infestation is found, parents should call the parents of other children who may be infected. “Don’t be embarrassed, this is common,” she said. “If anything, it means your kids are engaged with play with other people.”