By Natasha Fujimoto
HEAVY laden school bags, crisp uniforms and new shoes mark the beginning of a fresh school year, but as students happily head off to school, an obstinate, irritating little pest is often waiting in the wings.
Unfortunately, classrooms are the perfect environment for head lice to proliferate and with children commonly at work or play with their heads close together, lice can easily crawl from one host to another.
The first sign that your child may have head lice is constant itching and scratching, especially around the back of the neck and behind the ears.
When you look closely at your child’s hair, you might see small, oval-shaped, white or brown-black nits (eggs) attached to the root of the hair, near the scalp. You might also catch a glimpse of fast-moving lice.
With many products available to rid lice, Master of Pharmacy Student, Connie McClelland said treatments with the medicated ingredient, malathion, were the most effective.
Undertaking a placement at Reid’s Pharmacy, Connie said that while natural solutions were also available, remembering to repeat treatment seven days after the first, was key to ensuring complete removal as well as washing your child’s pillowcase in hot water.
Following each treatment, a fine toothcomb is essential for getting the nits out of the hair and can be purchased at any pharmacy.
Dispelling the myth that head lice only like clean hair, Connie said, “Lice don’t discriminate and will crawl into anyone’s hair no matter what their age or how clean their hair is.”
