Lice in a 2 year old child what to do. Where do lice come from in a child: causes and methods of control

30.11.2019

Pediculosis is a topic that causes disgust and disgust in many people, it is not customary to talk about it publicly. According to statistics, every second person in the world at least once in a lifetime has encountered this problem. Most of all, kindergarteners and elementary school students are at risk. Therefore, children aged 4 to 12 years should regularly check for lice and nits.

Lice. Who are we dealing with?

Lice are insects with a length of 0.4 to 4 mm that live on the scalp and feed on the blood of the "host". Lice can not fly and jump, but they quickly cling to their hair and are able to crawl "to a new owner." Within 7-10 days, the female lays several hundred nits (eggs), which in a few weeks turn into adults. So it’s usually possible to detect lice a week later after infection.

Recognize lice on time

It is important for parents to know the symptoms of lice in order to take action in time. Carefully comb the baby's hair, paying particular attention to his behavior and the condition of the scalp: frequent scratching of the head, small bluish-gray spots on the skin, bleeding combs and, accordingly, the presence of lice and nits in the hair.

If pediculosis is detected, it is worth checking for lice. all family members.

The child is infected: the right explanation

Remember, you should not scold a child if he has caught lice - this is not his fault. Reassure the child, tell him about the lice - that they are not dangerous, that they will not lose hair, and moreover no one dies. Distract the baby from feelings and fears, trying not to cause him shame and embarrassment.

It is important to tell your child about preventive measuresso as not to get lice again. Explain to the child that he, like every adult, has things designed just for him.

How to get rid of lice at a time

It is better to buy a drug on a natural basis, such as a spray or lotion for lice. All funds are specially designed by the Research Institute of Disinfectology of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare in just one application completely destroy lice and rote, without causing addiction in insects.

The composition of the products includes natural anise oil, which has a calming and anti-inflammatory effect - it relieves irritation of the scalp caused by itching, and also reduces children's irritability and tearfulness.

A drug in the form of a lotion (50 ml) is available, which is suitable for treating short hair, and a spray (150 ml) for hair below the shoulders.

Proper treatment for lice and nits

Treatment of hair from head lice should be carried out in a well-ventilated area with good lighting.

Cover your child’s shoulders with a white towel to protect it from clothing. Starting from the roots, thoroughly moisturize the hair with the product, distributing it along the entire length and lightly massaging the scalp. Do not spare money, the hair should be completely moistened. Leave the product for 30 minutes. If the hair is long - collect it in a bun and fix it with a hairpin. After thoroughly rinse your hair with warm water and then shampoo or soap. Dry your hair slightly with a towel.

With help crest with frequent teeth, carefully comb out dead lice and nits, each time cleaning the comb with a towel. Check the result with loops.

Rinse with hot water items that may become a source of infection. Wash baby clothes and bedding. Remember, lice die at temperatures above 40 ° C.

Notify Parents

Unfortunately, most families facing pediculosis in a child are in no hurry to warn about the threat of other parents. Be courageous and call one of the parents, the teacher or the class teacher. Tell us how you coped with the problem, advise the tool that helped you, and tell me where you got it.

Lice in a child are more likely to wind up than in adults. This happens because children treat their own health carelessly. Girls swap hairpins and use girlfriend hairbrushes. The boys touch their heads during the fight, lend helmets and helmets.

What lice and nits look like

Summer is over and I brought my son to kindergarten. In less than two weeks, the child began to scratch his head. At the first inspection of the hair, insects were found. I immediately turned to the teacher. On the same day, a nurse examined the hair of other children. showed up in five children!

Elena, Moscow

A female head louse is capable of laying more than a hundred eggs in her life. Nits in children’s hair look the same as in adults. They look like grains of dandruff. But the main thing is the impossibility of just removing them from the hair. The egg is firmly attached to the hair with a sticky substance.

Interesting!
An adult female lays eggs after the first portion of blood.

Where do lice come from

Pediculosis is a common disease among children under 12 years old. Despite this, several myths circulate around him:

You can detect lice in a child after a camp or swimming in a pond. The insect quickly gets to the hair healthy person and begins.

Some parents, in an attempt to protect the child from infection, wash his hair every day. But, once in the children's team, the child still gets sick. Then fathers and mothers start looking for photos of lice and nits on the child’s head, thinking that other insects are crawling in their hair.

On a note!
Clean skin attracts lice even better than dirty. Lice are easier to bite. But this does not mean that it is worth walking with unwashed hair.

Symptoms of Pediculosis

Not everyone knows how to understand that a child has lice. Moreover, some children itch and do not say anything to their parents. This happens because someone does not attach importance to unpleasant sensations, but someone is afraid to admit that his head hurts and itches.

You should examine the hair of the child if the following symptoms appear:

the child often scratches his hair;
wounds and scratches appeared in the hair;
white grains began to be seen on the temples and nape;

If during the examination of the hair insects and nits were not detected, and in children are observed, then it is worth examining the child’s clothes and bedding.

On a note!
Louse colors different types are different. Head louse will have a light yellow color. Wardrobe is darker. Her color is close to brown.
In the early stages of infection, the symptoms of lice in children are as follows:
nervousness,
anxiety,
bad dream
mild itching.

Recognizing lice in the early stages of the disease is difficult. Therefore, inspection is best done under daylight and with a magnifying glass.
My daughter began to sleep badly. She woke up at night, whimpered, scratched her ears. I thought that the baby earned otitis media, but the local pediatrician found behind the ears.
Katerina, Vladivostok

In children under three years of age, the manifestation of symptoms is more pronounced. They suffer more from insects, and their combs quickly turn into pustules. Photos of pediculosis in children demonstrate how the disease manifests. Insect bites look like red dots. If a bacterial infection joins, then wounds with a yellow crust appear among the hair.

Pediculosis treatment in children
After you have been able to identify lice, you should think about which one to choose. Increasingly, parents choose, but some choose.
On a note!
Not every drug from a pharmacy is suitable for a child. Children are sensitive to chemistry. A poisonous agent can cause severe allergies or burn scalp.

If a disease is detected on early stage, then the comb will help to cope with it.
Pharmacy products
Most often, the pediatrician prescribes for children special shampoo or . Before using it, you should read the instructions. It is better not to buy this product without a doctor’s prescription. After all, a poisonous drug can poison a child.
Typically, children are prescribed the following drugs:
On a note!
Nowhere is the only spray that can be used to treat the hair of babies. It does not contain insecticides and does not cause allergies.

Means Nyuda
Folk remedies
An effective insect repellent can be prepared in your own kitchen. The following recipes are most commonly used:
mixes up with water 1: 1. The mixture is applied to wet hair. Head wrapped in a bag, and then a towel. After 40 minutes, the product is washed off.
applied to wet hair, kept for 40 minutes under the package, and then washed off.
Vinegar 9% diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 3. process each strand. They cover his head with a towel, put on a scarf from above. After 40 minutes, the hair is washed.

Use for the treatment of pediculosis in a child or is prohibited. These agents can cause severe burns and poisoning.

Special scallop
A lice comb helps get rid of insect nits. It is used after pediculosis has been recognized, and with the goal of preventing the disease.

Than just did not handle the head of the child. Insects appeared again and again. The pediatrician advised to purchase a special one. They managed to comb out the nits, and lice no longer bothered us.
Larisa, Yekaterinburg

Lice prophylaxis
It is difficult to completely protect children from this scourge. But still needed. It is as follows:
Explain to the child about lice and how they get into the hair.
Change bed and underwear. Iron the seams of clothes.
Explain to the child that you can not use other people's things.
Make sure that the child does not communicate with people who have pediculosis.
Once a week, inspect the baby's hair and comb it with a comb.
Wash your baby's head at least twice a week.

If the child will have trains by public transport at rush hour, then certain measures should also be taken:
Braid the girl’s braid and hide her hair under a hat.
Try to put the baby in the seat. There he will have less contact with other people.

On a note!
It is forbidden to use for preventive purposes. All therapeutic pharmaceutical preparations of this plan are toxic and are not suitable for continuous use.

To protect the child from lice will help "folk medicine chest." Apply over ears and occipital region essential oil lavender. this smell.

An alarming bell, which may indicate the presence of head lice, may be the constant itching of the scalp (especially its occipital region).

The most accurate answer to the question of whether there are lice in the hair can give a comb with frequent teeth and a regular sheet of white paper. You need to bend your head over the paper laid out on the table, and using the comb carefully, lock by lock, comb out the hair.

What remains on paper after the procedure must be carefully considered, preferably with a magnifier. So you can verify the absence or presence of lice.
You should also carefully examine the hair for the presence of nits on them. Nits are lice eggs that females attach to their hair with the help of a special adhesive secretion produced by them. It is impossible to shake off nits from hair, just as it is impossible to remove them by ordinary washing of the head.

What to do if a child falls ill with lice?

The question of how to remove lice from children is very often asked in forums for parents. Such an interest in the problem is far from accidental, because every year, especially from the beginning of August to the end of September, there is a peak in pediculosis infection, as doctors have shown.

If a child has lice, then you do not need to blindly follow the advice given in various forums, since a particular remedy (for example, well-known kerosene) can cause an allergy in a child, lead to skin damage and serious health consequences. Do not experiment with folk remedies, many of which are far from safe for children. They will not always be able to help the child, but harm is easy enough. It is best to consult with a specialist who will help you choose the most effective and at the same time mild-acting remedy for treating a child.

Advice!Sometimes the most effective way getting rid of lice in children is a short haircut, because removing insects from short hair is much easier.

How to get rid of lice and nits: traditional remedies

Kerosene for lice

Some parents try to save the child from lice using an old grandmother’s remedy - kerosene. Specialists highly recommend not trying to treat pediculosis with kerosene in children. This tool can not only cause poisoning in the child, but also lead to burns of the scalp, because it is an oily liquid, which is very difficult to wash off from the hair. At the same time, kerosene is a combustible and should be used with extreme caution.

Benzyl benzoate

This is enough effective remedy, which has long established itself as effective and affordable, however, it is impossible to use it with a tendency to allergic reactions and in the presence of pustular formations on the scalp.

When using benzyl benzoate, it is applied to the hair, carefully distributed along the entire length, wrap your head with a towel and after 30 minutes rinse with running water. After processing, the hair must be dried and combed with a special comb.

Vinegar

Vinegar is a very effective tool, and can perfectly help in the fight against head lice, in addition, unlike kerosene, it is not a combustible substance. For the procedure, it is required to take in equal proportions 9% table vinegar and water. Process the hair with the resulting solution, wrap it and rinse with water after an hour. The combing of nits and dead lice after such a procedure is extremely necessary.

Tar soap

This tool is especially suitable for the treatment of pediculosis in children, as well as pregnant and lactating women, since it does not contain aggressive chemical substancesable to harm health. To use tar soap to achieve the maximum result, you need to repeatedly, as one treatment of the head is unlikely to lead to the desired effect.

Many are scared away by the specific smell that is inherent in tar soap, however, it is worth knowing that it quickly wears out and does not absorb into the hair. To be safe, you can rinse your hair after washing with a herbal decoction or a solution of lemon juice.

Advice!Treatment for pediculosis should be in all family members at the same time, even if only one of them is infected.

Modern remedies for pediculosis

In addition to the traditional means of combating pediculosis, there are many effective modern drugsallowing to get rid of lice as soon as possible.

Modern means based on:

permethrin;
malathion;
piperonyl butoxide;
dimethicone.

Advice!It is worth remembering that none, even the most effective tool, guarantees 100% disposal of lice after just one treatment. That is why it is worth checking the hair for the presence of insects some time after the procedure and repeat the treatment again.

What to do after the lice and nits are completely destroyed?

After the treatment for lice has been performed, and live insects and nits in the hair are completely absent, you should not relax, it's time to take measures that completely preclude re-infection with lice.

By taking these simple steps, you can completely eliminate the risk that the surviving insects after re-attack family members.

Pediculosis, according to the Ministry of Health, is prevalent among approximately 2% of the population of the Russian Federation. Most of those infected are children. Where do lice come from? They are infected by other children, for example, in a school or kindergarten.

What it is, what it looks like, why it appears

Nits are their eggs (although it’s more correct to call them “cocoons”). Females lay several thousand of them per day.

The trunk consists conditionally of 2 parts - the head and the back, connected by a narrowed transition. Mostly lice are found in the temporal lobe or on the back of the head (there is the thinnest skin).

Nits are small whitish cocoons, up to 1 millimeter in size (more often - 4-6 microns). They are attached directly to the hair. Very durable, do not wash out. When squeezed, they burst with a characteristic “crack”.

Look at the photo of how lice and nits look in the hair on the head:

Visually very similar, but have a smaller size. They lay their nits in tissues (only natural ones).

With us you will also find out by what symptoms and signs they reveal how dangerous this disease is.
Read about how to quickly cure ringworm, how to avoid the effects of the disease.

The reasons for their appearance on the head and the route of infection

You can get licein direct contact with the infected person or with his personal belongings (clothing, combs, hairpins, hair bands, underwear).

Any legend that lice can be infected only by those who wash their hair less than 1 time per week or who get too nervous is nonsense. Lice cannot jump, so they run across from one baby to another. If there is no contact between them, infection will not occur either.

Recent studies by scientists and the WHO (World Health Organization) prove that pediculosis is more often affected by owners of short hair, who often wash their hair (at least 3 times a week).

Lice prefer clean hair without excess sebum.

How to recognize: symptoms and signs of pediculosis

A clear symptom of head lice is irritation of the scalp, persistent severe itchingat the temples, behind the ears, on the back of the head.

But these symptoms correspond to fungal infectionseven allergy. That is why for an accurate diagnosis, an examination is performed scalp. The presence of lice on the nits on the hair is determined.

With prolonged lice on the head, the upper layer of skin begins to horn rapidly, due to which there appear “flakes” similar to dandruff, but several times more. And if the child also scratches these places a lot, then very soon there will appear small pustules.

How to detect lice and nits in a child? The easiest way to use a special shallow comb. His teeth are so close that louse and even nits cannot crawl through them.

Search for lice in a child with disposable medical gloves. This is the only way to protect yourself and your loved ones from infection.

Do I need to go to the doctor

What to do if a child has lice? Pediculosis is treated by pediatricians. But apply for medical help not necessary.

The main thing is to isolate the child and not allow him to stay in groups to prevent infection of others. And how to save a child from lice? To do this, you can use any of the available pharmacy pesticides, such as dust shampoo or soap.

In just 1-2 shampoos, you can completely get rid of head lice, but in the next 5-7 days, prophylaxis and a daily visual examination are introduced scalp (this can also be done independently).

If the child also has inflammation and peeling, then you should still consult a doctor. Need to make sure no allergic reaction or attaching an infection.

In this video clip, the famous doctor Komarovsky will tell you what to do if lice and nits are found in a child - about measures for effective treatment:

And how to deal with pediculosis in children at home? The best "folk" method of treating pediculosis is ordinary table vinegar. It is used in practice by the doctors themselves, since such a tool is safe and can be used even by the smallest children. And in terms of effectiveness, it is not inferior to pharmacological drugs against lice.

How to withdraw using vinegar

Vinegar is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 1 (you get a 4.5% solution).
Then the hair is moistened with the resulting solution, covering them with a towel on top.
After 20 minutes, they wash their hair in the usual way (preferably with laundry soap without preservatives and dyes).
Before drying, the hair must be combed out thoroughly with a frequent comb to remove nits and immobilized lice from there.

It should be noted that vinegar does not affect nits.. However, it dissolves the sticky substance with which they are attached to the hairs. The lice themselves from the solution become lethargic, fall off even with the usual rinsing of the head under running water.

The next day, the procedure is repeated again.. The main thing is to comb out the hair very well after that with a special comb (sold in any pharmacy).

How many times do you need to wash your hair with vinegar? Doctors recommend at least 3 times; daily inspect hair thoroughly for nits. Even if there are several of them, pediculosis will return soon.

If vinegar for some reason did not help or lice appeared again, then you can use a radical method of treatment - shaving bald. Without hair, lice die after 1-2 days.

What to do after treatment

After treatment, all personal belongings of the child (bedding, T-shirts, jackets, T-shirts) must be boiled or washed at a temperature of 80 degrees or higher.

Upholstered furniture (for example, the bed on which the child was sleeping) is recommended to be treated with a steam generator.

If the child has things that can not be washed or treated with a steam generator, put them in an airtight bag (with a zipper) and hang them either in the cold or in the sun.

Lice, oddly enough, are very afraid of lack of air and low temperature.

In the future, things are enough to knock out or rinse in cool water.

But any accessories for hair care (hairpins, combs) are best treated with vinegar or a special pesticide (sold in a pharmacy). The unpleasant odor from such a "disinfection" disappears quickly.

What preventive measures are often used

But this is not enough.

What can parents do? At least 1-2 times a month to conduct a similar examinationmonitor the behavior of the child.

It also does not hurt him to personally tell about such a disease. And the main thing is to explain that lice is not something shameful.

In contact with

If you find that your child has lice, what should I do? Pediculosis is an unpleasant disease that can cause a number of serious consequences. Any child can become infected with head lice, and this does not depend on how carefully the parents monitor their bodies and things. The first question that torments parents is what to do if the child has lice.

What to do

It was revealed that lice in children are divided into three types:

headaches;
bedding;
pubic.

It is recorded that pediculosis disease is most common in childhood from 3 to 12 years. This is explained by the fact that infection occurs in child care facilities, schools, sports sections and circles. Lice do not select a potential carrier by the presence of a dirty or clean head or by the thickness of the skin. When children touch during games and bathing, when using hairpins and combs, lice pass from an infected child to healthy children.

It is quite difficult to detect lice, especially if the child has thick and long hair. With a short haircut, the time for detecting and eliminating lice is reduced by several times.

What do lice look like?

Children of any age and social status can become infected with head lice. It is important to know the main symptoms of the disease in order to identify it at an early stage and protect the remaining family members from infection. The following should be noted:

Lice feed on blood while piercing the scalp. Blood does not clot due to the substance injected into the wound. After getting into it, a severe itch begins, which causes the child to scratch his head repeatedly. This is the main symptom of pediculosis in children. Should be carefully inspected scalp heads to detect the presence of nits. Nits resemble dandruff. The difference is that they cannot be shaken off the head with a comb or hand.
If the child has lice, then you need to pay attention to the back of the neck and the area behind the ears. The appearance of lice causes a red rash that covers these areas.

Visit doctor

When lice appear in a child, most parents agree that you do not need to advertise this disease, but you should get rid of it yourself at home. This solution is possible if there are no contraindications. Such as:

children's age up to two years;
the presence of asthma or allergies;
neglected form (nits are on eyelashes and eyebrows).

A specialist will examine the child and decide whether to carry out the treatment himself or prescribe the necessary medications for treatment at home. In the absence of contraindications, you can treat the child yourself, correctly performing a set of measures.

Treatment should begin with a conversation with your child. It is necessary to talk and reassure him, to explain that he is not to blame for anything and that this could happen to everyone. Tell what you will do, what procedures to carry out, as well as precautions to avoid this in the future.

It should be borne in mind that the above funds can destroy only adults and larvae of lice, while most nits remain alive.

How to get rid of surviving nits?

The easiest way is to comb out. This process must be carried out in the following sequence:

Hair should be combed with a simple comb. Untangle the tangled knots and lumps, then apply the product according to the instructions and leave it at the right time. After that, thoroughly rinse your head with a simple shampoo.
Use a weak vinegar solution. Small flagella are inserted between the teeth of the comb. After the expiration of the holding time, the cotton tows are moistened in a vinegar solution and the lice and nits are combed out. For convenience, you can use paper or fabric. After the combing process is completed, you should roll up the paper with dead nits and burn it. Head thoroughly washed with shampoo.

Pest Control

An important link in the treatment and disinfestation is to inform people who are in contact with a sick child. You should notify them of the presence of the disease, thereby preventing the possibility of infection of other people. Pediculosis is a contagious disease, so you need to take care of the rest of the people around you. Warning of relatives and friends will reduce the likelihood of reinfection of family members after successful treatment and disposal of head lice.

ethnoscience

Folk remedies can help with the treatment of pediculosis in children. The most common method is vinegar treatment. If the child brought home an unpleasant surprise, you do not need to scare him with a haircut bald. A solution of vinegar will help get rid of this problem. To avoid a burn on the skin of the child and not to dry the hair, you need to follow the rules:

table vinegar must be mixed with an equal amount of warm water;
the child's eyes need to be covered with a terry towel;
rinse hair with a solution of vinegar, thoroughly moistening;
put on a plastic hat, tie a scarf on top;
stand for 15 minutes, then rinse hair with shampoo.

When the hair is dry, comb each strand with a comb. The procedure must be repeated for several days until the complete elimination of nits and lice. Kerosene can be treated. With pediculosis in young children, only those products that are allowed for their age should be used. Never use kerosene.

Kerosene can be used for older children and adults. It is necessary to mix kerosene, sunflower oil and shampoo. A tablespoon of kerosene should be mixed with 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil and a small amount of shampoo. The resulting mixture must be applied to the entire length of the hair, put on a hat and leave for 40 minutes. After that, wash your hair and apply a nourishing mask.

Preventive measures

The child should be available to talk about the rules of conduct in child care facilities and about the disease itself. It is worth noting the causes of lice and the movement of lice from one person to another. The child must learn that you can not try on other people's hairpins, bows, not take your combs and hats. The conversation should be aimed primarily at avoiding pediculosis. Parents should also explain that an infected child should not be the subject of laughter or disgust from friends. Adults should regularly examine the child’s head, which will reveal pediculosis at an early stage, thereby facilitating treatment.