At Halloween Head Lice Come Haunting
Its that time of year when ghouls come out to play and werewolves roam the night streets. Did you also know it’s prime time for head lice outbreaks? Here’s what every witch and Dracula should know to protect their little monsters this Halloween season.
Tips for Staying Head Lice Free This Halloween:
- Beware of Sharing Costumes. Everyone knows that head lice are contracted through direct head to head contact and sharing items of clothing such as hats. Did you realize that Halloween costumes are a major cause of passing head lice to children? Be aware of wigs, hats, masks or hoods. These items can easily transmit head lice to unknowing children just playing along with the Halloween fun. Talk to your little goblin before they go out spooking to beware of sharing costumes!
- Halloween Parades and Parties are to Blame. Another common fact is that children between the ages of 3-10 are more susceptible to head lice because they are around other children often. Any time that children gather together, head lice can happen. Halloween is definitely no exception. Lice Clinics of America see spikes in head lice outbreaks through our clinic every Halloween season.
- Pay Particular Attention to your Little Princess. Whether she’s a fairy, ballerina or a zombie queen, your little princess is especially at risk if she has long hair. Long hair is simply more vulnerable to head lice infections because it easily brushes up against other children or other items infected with nits or head lice. Pull her hair up, out of her face and keep it tightly bound back to protect from head lice.
- Having a Halloween Party!? Don’t let Head Lice Stop your Fun. Many parents never stop to think about washing or disinfecting their child’s Halloween costume after a special event where they are surrounded by many children. Pay special attention to items that may be transferring lice, such as masks, wigs, witch hats, or reaper robes. Items that cannot be washed in a washing machine can be wiped down with a wet, sanitized cloth or placed in the dryer for 25-30 minutes on high heat. We recommend doing this BEFORE they wear the costume again for trick or treating.
- Nitpicking is Encouraged. We don’t mean you should pester or bother your children. We want you to perform head lice screenings at home as often as you can. Take a nitpicking comb and look through your child’s scalp. Section off parts of the hair so that you can more easily scan through the strands. Things you should be looking for include: small red bites or irritations, white eggs or nits laid near the scalp, signs of itching and scratching, and sesame seed sized brown adult lice crawling through the hair.
- Don’t Forget to Check it Twice! Remember, symptoms and signs usually start to show about three weeks after the initial infection. A head lice egg, or nit, takes 7-9 days to hatch. It is after a few weeks of new eggs hatching that the symptoms really start to bother their victim. Take care to double check before and after Halloween to ensure you didn’t miss any signs.
- Lice Clinics of America is your Best Source for Help. We deal with all things head lice. We know the best ways to screen for head lice, prevent head lice and successfully eliminate it. Call our helpful staff today if you have any concerns. We want to alleviate your fears this Halloween and help you have a screaming fun time!