Head Lice – Can Children Get Lice?
WouterIf you suspect that your child may have head lice, it is important to treat it as soon as possible. It is best to consult your GP if your child has more than three cases of head lice in a year. Your doctor can prescribe an over-the-counter or prescription medication to kill the lice. It is important to keep the child’s head covered while treating it so that it is less likely to spread.
Lice are parasitic insects that live on the scalp. Their bodies are about the size of a sesame seed, and their nits are typically a white or yellowish color. They typically live in warm, moist areas on the head, where they feed on the blood underneath the scalp.
Adult lice can be white, gray, or black in color. They are often found in the hair behind the ears. Lice eggs, or nits, are round and stick to the hair near the scalp. You can often detect head lice by combing the hair. It is best to remove nits immediately if you suspect that your child has head lice.
Although there is no specific rule about who can get head lice, it is important to understand the different ways that head lice can infect the head. The most common way to contract head lice is direct head-to-head contact. This occurs more often among children than in adults. Children are more physically active and have more frequent contact with others.
