How should lice on a child's head be treated? - briefly
Apply an FDA‑approved lice treatment (shampoo, lotion, or mousse) according to the product directions, then remove remaining nits with a fine‑tooth comb. Repeat the treatment after 7–10 days and launder bedding, clothing, and personal items in hot water to stop re‑infestation.
How should lice on a child's head be treated? - in detail
Head lice infestation requires prompt confirmation by visual inspection of the scalp and hair, focusing on the nape, behind the ears, and crown. Adult insects are about 2–3 mm long; nits appear as tiny, oval, whitish shells attached to hair shafts within 1 cm of the scalp.
Effective management combines a pediculicide or a mechanical method with thorough combing. The following protocol provides a step‑by‑step approach:
- Choose a treatment:
- Permethrin 1 % lotion, applied to dry hair, left for 10 minutes, then rinsed.
- Dimethicone‑based silicone lotion, applied to wet hair, left for 30 minutes, then washed out.
- Non‑chemical option: hot water wash (≥130 °F) followed by immediate fine‑tooth combing.
- Apply the product according to label instructions; avoid contact with eyes and irritated skin.
- After drying, use a nit comb with 0.2 mm teeth. Section hair, pull each section taut, and slide the comb from scalp to tip, removing lice and nits. Clean the comb after each pass with hot, soapy water.
- Repeat the entire process 7–10 days later to eliminate any newly hatched lice that survived the first application.
- Wash all bedding, clothing, and personal items used within the previous 48 hours in hot water (≥130 °F) or seal in plastic bags for two weeks if laundering is impractical.
- Vacuum carpets, upholstered furniture, and car seats; discard hair accessories that cannot be decontaminated.
Monitoring continues for at least four weeks. Perform weekly scalp examinations; if live insects are still present after two treatment cycles, consider an alternative pediculicide (e.g., malathion 0.5 % or ivermectin lotion) or consult a healthcare professional for prescription therapy.
Prevention focuses on minimizing head-to-head contact, avoiding sharing of hats, combs, or headphones, and regularly checking children’s hair during peak transmission seasons.