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Expert Q&A
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| By Deborah Z. Altschuler Lice Expert | ||
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How often should I check my daughterų hair for nits?
Checking for head lice is always best done as a routine rather than as crisis intervention when reports of infestations are made. Reports may encourage everyone to be more diligent which is a good thing, but the key to making head lice less of an issue is to detect them early and remove the lice and nits when few are present. This puts parents in control of head lice rather than the other way around.
This can be accomplished several days a week with little fanfare or interruption to a child's life. One typically combs hair after bathing -- making this is a particularly convenient time to comb for lice and nits. A quality combing tool that doesn't tear the hair is key for obvious reasons and allows parents to screen themselves as well. The combs that comb with lice shampoos are often useless.
Visual examinations may detect an infestation, but can miss lice and nits that are close to the scalp. Routine combing for them will allow one to remove them even before you know you have them! There are no rules for how many nits one can expect to see or when because there are just too many variables. However never underestimate your own judgment. If you are screening regularly you will have a good sense of whether or not these are nits that you have missed -- or new nits.
Never use a lice shampoo out of fear when findings a few nits following what one thought was a finished job. It is not unusual for parents to think a couple of weeks down the road that their child is re-infested when in fact they have remained infested. Stay with the combing, never panic and know that removal of lice and nits is the bottom line and represents success. "Because it's not about lice, it's about kids."
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More Answers by this Expert
- How can I prevent my newborn from being infected with lice?
- My niece has continually had head lice for almost two months now and I am due to have my baby in about two weeks. Can my baby get lice from her holding him?
- What do I do to get rid of lice for good?
- My 8-year-old daughter has been invited to a slumber party. One of the girls invited had lice recently. Is it OK to let my daughter go?
- Are there certain times of the year that lice are more prevalent?