What do lice look like on children? - briefly
Lice are tiny, wingless insects about 2–4 mm long, tan‑gray in color, with six legs and a flattened body that clings to hair shafts; their eggs (nits) appear as tiny, white‑to‑light‑brown, oval shells firmly attached close to the scalp. The insects move quickly, causing itching, while nits remain immobile and are visible as small specks near the hair roots.
What do lice look like on children? - in detail
Head lice on children are small, wingless insects measuring 2–3 mm in length. Their bodies are flattened laterally, enabling movement through hair shafts. Color ranges from pale gray to brownish, often appearing translucent when unfed and becoming darker after blood meals.
Key visual indicators include:
- Adult insects: Oval shape, six legs with claw‑like tarsi that grasp individual hairs. Legs are noticeably shorter than those of a flea, giving the insect a compact appearance. When alive, they move quickly, especially when the host’s head is tilted.
- Nits (eggs): Cylindrical, about 0.8 mm long, firmly attached to the side of a hair shaft near the scalp. They are ivory‑white at first, turning yellowish or brown as the embryo develops. Nits are resistant to removal; they cannot be brushed off like dandruff.
- Egg shells (empty nits): Remain attached after hatching, appearing as small, translucent, brownish specks. Their presence indicates a recent infestation.
- Location: Primarily found behind the ears, at the nape of the neck, and along the hairline. In younger children with short hair, lice may be seen on the scalp surface.
Additional characteristics:
- Mobility: Adults can crawl at speeds up to 0.5 mm per second. They rarely jump or fly.
- Feeding signs: Small pinpoint bleeding spots on the scalp, often accompanied by intense itching due to saliva injection.
- Life‑stage timeline: Eggs hatch in 7–10 days, nymphs mature to adults within another 7 days, and the entire cycle repeats every 2–3 weeks, leading to a rapid increase in visible insects if untreated.
Recognizing these specific features—size, shape, coloration, attachment method, and typical sites—allows accurate identification of head‑lice infestations in children.