Do you think your child has head lice? Have you noticed him scratching his head frequently? Or maybe you’ve heard of an outbreak of head louse at his school? You can probably discover if your son or daughter has head louse by doing an easy evaluation at home.

The easiest way to spot head lice is by noticing their eggs in your child’s hair. Louse eggs are also known as nits. These eggs get laid by the lice on your child’s hair shaft close to the scalp. This is why a head check depends on scrutinizing your child’s scalp. Before the baby lice hatch, nits look tan, brown, or yellow. Once the nit has hatched, the shell will stay attached to your child’s hair shaft. This is the easiest thing to notice, as it is whitish, looking somewhat like dandruff. The main difference between nits and dandruff is dandruff is easily shaken from the hair shaft, while nits are glued to the shaft.

Sometimes you will be able to notice adult head louse on your child’s hair, particularly if your child’s hair is short. These little beasties are small, the same size as a sesame seed from your hamburger bun, and they tend to possess the same coloring as your child’s hair. A lot of parents grasp their little ones are infected the moment they see the adult lice moving through their kid’s hair.

Head scratching is, of course, another sign of a head lice infestation. But, not every child will find head lice to be itchy. Also, scratching their head may be a sign of other troubles, such as eczema or dandruff. The itching from lice is usually likened to a tickle, or the feeling of something moving about on the scalp.

Children who have sensitive scalps, and spend a lot of time scratching because of the nits will regularly get a rash on their scalp. Head lice rash looks like red bumps at the base of the hair shaft. It may infrequently develop into a more extreme infection that needs antibiotics.

If you have a suspision your child might have head lice, part his hair and observe the base of the hair shaft for the nits. Pay particular attention to the areas of hair around the neck and ears. If you find it a struggle to focus up close, you might want to try a magnifying glass. Be sure to do the lice checking in bright light. If you can’t see anything, but the itching continues, it is time for a trip to the doctor. On the other hand, if there is persistent scratching, and you have heard of an outbreak at school or day care, you possibly can be certain that the reason is head lice.

To treat head lice you can buy a chemical based shampoo that can eliminate the lice. Make sure you follow the application guide to the letter, because incorrect use will not wipe out all of the lice. You will also need to comb through the hair with a fine tooth comb to remove any nits that are not killed by the shampoo.

When you have treated your child, wash any clothes in the house, as lice have the ability to live up to three days off of the scalp if they are attached to clothing. Also, boil anything that comes in contact with an infected head, including brushes, bows and combs. It is especially important to wash any bedding. Vacuum all furniture and floors. Then look out for signs of re-infestation. If this happens, start the procedure again. It can be difficult, but you can get rid of head lice with the proper steps.

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