Head lice are tiny insects

that live primarily on the head and scalp. They are different than body lice, which may be found in clothing and bedding as well as on the body. Head lice are small but can be seen by the naked eye. Because they move quickly and only a few may be present, using a magnifying glass is helpful in identifying these insects. Head lice suck blood, and the rash caused by this may be more noticeable than the bugs themselves. Head lice attach their eggs at the base of a hair shaft. These eggs or nits, appear as tiny white or dark ovals and are especially noticeable on the back of the neck and around the ears.

People with head lice, children too, should be treated with medicated shampoo, rinse, or lotion developed specifically for head lice. These treatments are very powerful insecticides and may be toxic if not used as recommended. Check with your doctor if you have any questions.

There are a number of steps
that can be taken when a case of head lice breaks out. The infested child should stay at home until 24 hours after treatment has been given. Many state and local health departments require that a child be free of nits before readmission to daycare and/or school. To assure effective treatment:

• check previously treated children for any evidence of new infection daily for ten days after treatment.
• Repeat treatment in 7-10 days may be necessary.
• Nits can be removed using a fine-toothed comb (a pet flea comb may work best).
• Some commercial products may make removing nits easier.
• Commercial preparations to remove nits should be used according to the manufacturer's recommendations to assure that the residual activity of the insecticide is not affected.
• Combs and brushes may be soaked in hot water for at least one hour.
• Flea bombs and other environmental insecticides aren't effective against head lice.

Comments

Using Olive Oil
From: Someone Who's Been There
After going through months of horrendous yet futile activities including harmful chemical shampoo to get rid of these dreadful critters, a friend told me to saturate the dry hair with olive oil, place a towel over the pillow and leave on overnight. The next day soak the hair again with olive oil and leave on for a few more hours. Shampoo. Remove nits. Repeat in 10 days.
What a natural, wonderful relief.

Using solid shortening to treat head lice
From: Darryl & Janice
I thought my idea would interest someone. I had a real problem with them with my daughter for 3 months last year, and found that the NIX dried out her head and made her even itchier. So, I tried an idea that my Mom gave me, shortening! I used about a 1/2 cup of solid shortening, and coated her head right from the scalp to the tips of her hair, and then wrapped her head in plastic wrap, and a towel. About 4-6 hours later, I rinsed her hair, and the DEAD bugs just about fell out with the fine comb. I won't use those chemicals again, just about drove her nuts with the scratching. Thanks for listening, hope that this will be a help to someone out there, and it is cheap too.

Use "tea tree oil" to treat head lice
From: a helpful person
I have found that you can prevent head lice if you use "tea tree oil" you can find it in health food stores. I have also found it at Walmart. You put it in your shampoo and use it whenever you wash your hair.

Natural Way of Treating Lice
Received: from a helpful person
The article is very informative, but I thought I'd pass along a method I came across while doing my own research for the "head lice journey"!! I've had several foster children come to my home with these awful little creatures, and, after treating and retreating with insecticides, had very little success, until I read a book of healthy ways to live.  In it was an article about coconut based shampoo and lice.  I'm not sure of the spelling, but I'll try to remember--dodeckyl alcohol in coconut kills adult lice.  I soaped the children's hair with an inexpensive brand of shampoo, (suave tropical coconut--$.70 a bottle if I remember correctly)covered their hair with a shower cap, and left it on for maybe an hour.  To my surprise, the lice were all killed--what a relief!!!!!  As a preventive, the author of the book recommends shampooing with coconut based shampoo when one is around or has heard of an outbreak of the wonderful little creatures.  Pure coconut oil can be soaked in hair overnight also,but I cannot comment on its effectiveness, since I never needed to go that far.  Of course one still needs to remove the nits and continue using coconut based shampoo until the horrible little monsters have left your house.
I hope this bit of info. helps others as much as it has helped me--I can get the book for reference, if needed--email me if you should be interested -and good luck to all those bothered by the little buggers!!!!!

From: Deb & Steve Banahan
The website for the National Pediculosis Foundation is www.headlice.org  You can order the "LiceMeister Comb" at the site as well as review the latest information on head lice. When my son got head lice at his daycare this was the organization I turned to for information. What you get is no nonsense, down to earth guidelines for getting rid of head lice. They do not advocate the use of insecticidal shampoos or sprays.

References:

• Head Lice Infestation (Pediculosis)
  is from the CDC (centers for disease control) and gives a nice no-nonsense text-only overview of this problem
• www.headlice.org
  is a good site that has a great FAQ which will answer many of your questions.
• Clear Head Lice Solutions for Concerned Parents
  is another source of info from another producer of lice removal products
• NoNits Lice removal product
  features a pesticide free solution, but requires a longer period of therapy than traditional therapies.

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Fix-It Corner & Meet the Author present...
Anne Berthold-Bond
"Better Basics for the Home:
Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living"
hosted by Sue Spataro, RN, BSN
Interview & FREE natural pesticide recipes
Back in the early 80s Anne Berthold-Bond knew something was not right. She knew that something wrong with her.  Anne found herself unusually sensitive to the chemicals in her environment. Anne' story kicked off her journey to develop safe, easy to make household products. Her book BETTER BASICS FOR THE HOME is a survival guide full of over 800 "recipes" for cleaning  the house, washing clothes and even making hand lotions and creams. Find out more.

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Hoover Windtunnel Upright Vacuum Cleaner with HEPA filter also see: Natural Cleaning Ideas

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Caring for Your School-Age Child:
Ages 5 to 12
by Edward L. Schor (Editor)

Numerous contributors and reviewers helped in compiling this authoritative, comprehensive guide--the third volume in a parenting series--under the imprimatur of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Its brief chapters cover health, physical development, nutrition, fitness, personal development, social skills, behavior, discipline, emotional and behavioral disorders, family life, school concerns, chronic health problems, and common medical problems. The material is presented in a warm, reassuring, but firm style that emphasizes the importance of parental modeling, communication, mutual respect, and child advocacy in contemporary parenting. Given the limited number of parenting guides addressing the needs of school-age children, this is a welcome introduction to caring for children during the years in which the basis for their future health, well-being, and success as an adult is usually laid.

Yikes-Lice!
by Donna Caffey, Patrick Girouard (Illustrator), Kathy Tucker (Editor)

Here's a book that library patrons hope they will never need. But if their children come home from the school or day care center with head lice, it's the book they will want. . .Brightly colored cartoon-style illustrations begin by portraying the lice as dressed animals having cookouts in a person's hair, but the focus quickly shifts to a human family's successful efforts to rid their little girl's head of lice. A good read-aloud choice for homes and classrooms when lice are abroad.

Lots of Lice
(Hello Reader!, Level 3)
by Bobbi Katz, Steve Bjorkman (Illustrator)

Cooties have one golden rule: To get a-head, invade a school. Told from the point of view of lice, this humorous rhyming book helps readers learn what lice are and how to protect themselves from them. Full color.