Summary
Head lice: yuck. In this video, Dr. Richard Honaker reassures parents that lice won’t kill or damage your child, even though they cause a lot of anxiety when that note comes home from school.
You prevent lice by avoiding exposure, but sometimes it just happens. Once a child has lice, they can be treated very well, but you need to be sure it really is lice.
Sometimes you can see the small insects crawling in the hair, but they’re very small and you may not see any. Instead, use a magnifying glass to look along the hair shaft for a nit: a small white oval egg, attached at about a 45-degree angle, like a bud on a tree branch. The nits need to be removed with a nit comb.
Treatments range from pills to topical shampoos. Dr. Honaker says you don’t need to shave your child’s hair, you don’t need to panic, and you don’t need to wash everything many times: just wash the sheets and pillows, maybe once on a hot cycle. See your doctor, who can get you on the right medicine.
Key takeaways
- Head lice are unpleasant but not dangerous.
- Confirm it’s lice: look for nits, small white oval eggs attached to the hair shaft at an angle.
- Remove nits with a nit comb.
- Treatments include pills and topical shampoos; your doctor can recommend the right one.
- No need to shave the head; wash sheets and pillows on a hot cycle.
Questions Dr. Honaker answers
Are head lice dangerous?
No. Dr. Honaker says they won’t kill or damage your child, though they cause a lot of anxiety.
How can I tell if my child has lice?
Look for the insects in the hair, or use a magnifying glass to find nits: small white oval eggs attached to the hair shaft at about a 45-degree angle.
Do I need to wash everything in the house?
No. Dr. Honaker suggests washing the sheets and pillows, maybe once on a hot cycle.
