How to Diagnose Head Lice
Head lice are tiny insects that thrive on human blood. They are wingless and reside on or near the scalp. Head lice have hooks at the tips of their feet to allow them to secure themselves to the host.
Many school age children are sent home each year with head lice. Head lice are transferred through the use of hair brushes and contact of hair or heads. Contrary to popular belief, lice cannot jump between humans or fly from host to host.
Things You'll Need
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Towel
- Strong source of natural light
- Fine tooth comb
- Magnifying glass
Instructions
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Finding the Elusive Louse and Its Eggs
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1
Shampoo, condition and towel dry the hair of the affected person suspected to have an infestation of head lice. Contrary to popular belief, head lice do not prefer dirty hair over clean. Shampooing the hair will not remove lice or nits, it will only help remove dandruff or other dirt that could impede the search.
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2
Situate the adult or child in an area with very good natural light. Natural light gives the best viewing of head lice. Incandescent bulbs will work, but can cast shadows that hide the lice. Turn the person's head in several directions to get the best views.
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3
Separate the hair into sections. Pull a fine tooth comb through the sections slowly, examining the hair shafts closely for lice eggs that are called nits. Look for tiny, yellow or white objects clinging to the hair shaft close to the scalp. Try to move the objects--dandruff and other debris will move easily while nits will be hard to dislodge.
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4
Examine the scalp as you move sections of the hair, lice will move quickly from any probing. Viewing small, brown moving spots may indicate an infestation even if nits are not present.
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Tips & Warnings
Combing with an ultra-fine tooth comb every few days for two weeks can sometimes halt infestation. Teach your children to never use classmates hats, brushes or headgear. Itching is not always a sign of infestation. Lice may be present with no itching at all.
Do not use a paper clip to probe hair. This can cause scalp injury. Do not chastise or make fun of a child with an infestation, lice are very common and spread easily in daycare and schools where head contact is common. The child is not dirty, in fact, lice often prefer clean hair.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit U.S. CDC
