The holiday break is over and your kids are back in school. Over the next few days, your kids will bring home books, homework, science projects that need to be completed and head lice.
Well, it’s not certain they will bring home head lice, but it is always a possibility.
You see, contrary to popular opinion, contracting head lice has nothing to do with cleanliness. Any kid can fall prey to these little bloodsucking pests. In most cases, infestation occurs through direct head-to-head contact. But these nasty pests will also wait for the perfect opportunity to jump ship onto toys, a chair or desk, where they wait for an unsuspecting kid.
No need to fret too much if you discover your child has head lice. While they are gross, they won’t cause problems beyond itching. But you would rather avoid them altogether. Earthwise Pest Management, your commercial pest control service in Sacramento, offers ways you can prevent your kids from getting head lice.
Tie Up Their Hair
There is some evidence that suggests girls are a little more likely to get head lice than boys. This is probably due to the length of hair. So it is probably a good idea to tie their hair up in a bun or braids to reduce the chances of an infestation.
Cover Public Seats
If you take your kids to a movie or on a public bus, bring a scarf or other piece of cloth with you to cover up the seat. Keep in mind that lice can live for a couple of days without a host, so they could be just sitting on that public seat waiting for a victim.
Lice Protection Spray
There is a peppermint-scented spray that will kill nits and lice. All you have to do is spray it on your kids before they get an infestation. You can also spray it on their clothes, pillows, hair accessories and other items that come in contact with your kids.
Essential Oils
Essential oils can be used with shampoos and conditioners for added protection from head lice. All you need to do is mix in a few drops in their hair products. You can also mix a few drops of essential oils with water in a spray bottle to spritz on jackets, hats and other clothing items to deter the vile little beasts.
Lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree and lemongrass oils all do a good job in deterring lice. They also smell nice, which is an added bonus.
Lice Prevention Shampoo
If you don’t want to use essential oils, you can skip the middleman and just buy lice-prevention shampoo.
Safe Sleepovers
If you are hosting a sleepover at your house, there are ways to avoid spreading head lice. First of all, tell the attendees not to share items like brushes and combs. When it is time for bed, arrange the children in a star pattern with their feet together in the canter. This will keep them away from each other’s heads.
Separate Combs
Each of your children should have their very own comb and brush and they should keep them in sealable bags when not in use. In fact, you should be keeping all hair accessories separate.
Talk With Your Children
Like we stated earlier, lice can live up to two days without a host. This means they could be hiding in a hat or other piece of clothing. Talk to your children about not sharing clothing items like hats, coats, gloves and scarves.
Do Head Checks
Lice are fast and small, so an infestation is likely identified by the presence of nits. Nits are lice eggs that are attached to strands of hair and they are much easier to spot. Check your children at least once a week to ensure they are free from nits.
Know The Enemy
Do you even know what head lice look like? One of the first things you need to do to help prevent head lice is to learn as much as you can about them. It sounds like a gross task, but read up on these pests and arm yourself with knowledge.
If your child suffers a head lice infestation, there are plenty of over-the-counter remedies that will get rid of them. If you suffer a bed bug infestation, then you should call Earthwise Pest Management for help.