"Cleanliness and
hygiene don't have
anything to do with
getting lice."
— Dr. Samuels
for good, parents have to apply
the treatment a second time — a
week after the first treatment —
to kill the newly hatched lice.
Between treatments, remove
nits with a close-toothed comb.
You may need to try a stronger
prescription medication if two
applications of an over-the-
counter treatment don't get rid
of lice.
"Prescription medications can be
irritating or toxic if they aren't
used correctly, so save them as
a last resort," Dr. Samuels said.
"Over-the-counter remedies
typically work if you use them
correctly, so try not to panic if
your child has lice. This problem
has been around for a long, long
time, and it's more of a nuisance
than a medical emergency."
Be aware of their
surroundings, including
looking before walking in
front of the swing set to
avoid collisions
Use playground
equipment as it's
designed, such as
going down slides
instead of up
Take off necklaces,
backpacks and other
accessories before they start
playing, so they don't catch
on playground equipment
Avoid roughhousing
and doubling-up
on swings, see-saws
or other rides
An
adult
louse
is
about
the
same
size
as
a
sesame
seed.
Limiting lice
No matter how careful they are, most
families eventually get an up-close-
and-personal lesson about lice.
"To avoid spreading lice, children
shouldn't share hairbrushes, caps
or helmets," said Roya Samuels, MD,
attending pediatrician at Cohen
Children's Medical Center. "All family
members should avoid head-to-head
contact with anyone who has lice."
The American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends keeping children who
have lice in school. Lice should not
interfere with a child's education.
Parents can deal with them at home
at the end of the day.
Dr. Samuels suggests parents use
over-the-counter treatments to treat
lice. These have active ingredients
that kill live lice but not the eggs,
called nits. To get rid of the problem
cohenchildrens.com
15
Cohen Children's Medical Center
Guarding health
