Over 50? Keeping Up With Your Healthcare Needs

Over 50? Keeping Up With Your Healthcare Needs

How To Cure Your Child's Head Lice Problem

Nellie Ryan

When you notice that your child is scratching their head incessantly, then you might get a knot in your stomach fearing that they have head lice. If it turns out they do, don't freak out. It's a bothersome problem, no doubt, but it's not something that you can't handle at home.  Below are a few ideas for head lice treatment. One of them is a simple, and easy solution, but it's only really appropriate for boys. The other is an all-natural solution. Finally, there is the final solution that will work for anyone suffering from lice.

Does Your Son Mind A Hair Cut?

Lice live on the hair. They attach their eggs to the hair. So the simplest way to get rid of them is to get rid of the hair. Now, little girls obviously won't like this this, but some little boys might not mind an extreme hair change. Of course, you have to talk to your son, and not just cut his hair. But if he's a fan of sports stars (like the many NBA players who shave their head), then he might think it's cool.

Remember, it's important to understand that you can't just give them a crew cut, it needs to be a clean shave. The lice can cling to the smallest hair, so you will want to shave it off completely. If your son already wears his hair really short, then this might be fine, but if he has medium length hair, you might want to think of a different solution. While your son might think it sounds cool, they might get upset once they see a bald head in the mirror.

Olive Oil To Smother The Lice

A popular alternative method of treating head lice is to smother them with olive oil (some other remedies use baby oil). The idea is that the olive oil will smother the lice and cause them to suffocate. The child will have to soak oil into their hair, put on a hair net, and then sleep with it. The only problem is that head lice have eggs which are attached to the hair strands. These eggs will survive and thus new lice will be born. One solution proposed in the alternative community is to use vinegar to loosen the eggs (which are attached to the hair with a sticky substance) and then comb them out. However, this might not get every last lice and egg. The most effective part of this process is the combing. However, some lice might survive the olive oil, plus it's super messy.

Pediculicide and Combs: The Best Method To Kill Lice

The best method is to use a chemical used to kill lice (pediulicide). There are many different chemicals on the market. One interesting bit of trivia is that one such chemical (Pyrethrins) is derived from the beautiful chrysanthemum flower. These chemicals are massaged into the hair and then left on for a period of time. They kill the lice. They will often be sold with a small, fine tooth comb. This is absolutely necessary because the lice and the lice eggs need to be combed out. The poison will kill them more effectively than oil, but you still need to use the small comb to get rid of the eggs and the dead lice bodies. Otherwise an errant egg might survive, hatch, and you're back where you started.


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About Me
Over 50? Keeping Up With Your Healthcare Needs

As an adult in my 50s, I find that my body isn't as strong as it used to be. But I don't let that stop me from enjoying life! In fact, I make every effort to get the treatments I need from my doctor to improve my health. I know that I'm not a senior yet, but I do all I can to prevent the health problems that affect that age group. Because of this, I put together a health blog for people over age 50. My blog isn't a review of what you can easily find on the Internet. It's a plethora of unique information designed to help you find the services you need fast. What my blog doesn't do is tell you what to do for your health. Instead, it offers guidance and options. Please, enjoy the blog and happy reading.

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