How Long Can Head Lice Jump?
WouterYou may have asked yourself, “How long can head lice jump?” You might be surprised to learn that head lice can’t jump, and they can only crawl. They are not spread through pet or personal hygiene, but by direct head-to-head contact. Chances are, your child has already touched the head of someone with head lice during playtime, sports, or slumber parties. The good news is that you can treat head lice at home!
Although head lice can live for a few weeks on a human host, they can’t survive for more than 24 hours without food. They need human blood to survive and lay eggs. They’re small and oval, and their life cycle begins as a nit, a tiny whitish-yellow speck about a millimeter long.
To treat head lice, you must avoid head-to-head contact. Also, do not share towels, combs, or clothing with an infested person. Instead, wash and dry these items in a machine and avoid rubbing them with your head. If your child has long hair, you can also tie it up in a ponytail or bun to prevent it from coming into contact with others’ heads.
Adult lice live for about 30 days on the human scalp before they die. In this time, they lay 100 eggs. During this time, they feed on blood several times a day. Once the eggs hatch, the lice will live about two days without a meal.
