Head Lice: Prevention, Treatment
Tips to prevent and treat head lice in children. An average of 500 cases of head lice are found among Anne Arundel County students each year, according to the health department.
When children play at school and have play dates and sleepovers, the number of cases of head lice rises. That’s because head lice, tiny parasitic insects that live on the scalp, are most commonly transferred through head-to-head contact. The Anne Arundel County Department of Health reports an average of 500 cases of head lice are found among local students each year. The health department's website states that head lice are not a health hazard, nor are they a sign of poor hygiene, and they do not spread any diseases. In October, Broadneck Elementary School sent home notices regarding lice found in the hair of some students. Principal Alison Lee said it was no more than normal, and the number of cases was not considered rampant. "If there …
In this Article:
Richard Pollack
1:24 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
The take home message here is that head lice are actually not a big deal. A few kids in each school each year will be 'with lice', but outbreaks and epidemics of head lice do not occur. These beasts are not a sign of poor hygiene or sanitation, and they don't transmit infections. Cases of head lice are grossly overdiagnosed, so it is critical to base the diagnosis on the discovery of a live (… more ›