"I’m starting to see a few cases of head lice now that kids have been in school awhile. The critters are white and about the size of a sesame seed. They are known as "obligate ectoparasites." Obligate means they require a placental mammal host to survive (i.e. humans) and ectoparasites means they live outside the human body and need a host to survive. They do this by feeding on the host’s blood and can't live off of a body for more than a day or so. Lice are spread by direct contact of a person's head or hair with an infested individual or through sharing personal items such as hats, towels, brushes, helmets, hair ties or even car seat headrests. They do not jump or fly and are not transmitted by pets... Treatment of lice requires a lot of patience. There really is no substitute for …
Kids have allergic reactions to lice treatments
Antihistamines only delay emergency treatment for anaphylaxis Giving antihistamines to children who experience anaphylaxis only endangers their lives by delaying emergency treatment, researchers reported. Instead, children should be administered epinephrine and go straight to the ED. Evan Wiley, MD, a pediatric resident at Jacobi Medical Center in New York, and another colleague reviewed the medical records of children and young adults who were admitted to a community pediatric hospital between July 2015 and January 2019. They found that 72% of patients who first took antihistamines at home delayed seeking medical care compared with only 25% of those who did not take them. Patients who took antihistamines were more than seven times more likely to delay emergency treatment (OR = 7.45; …
Always Provide a Non-Chemical Choice for Head Lice Removal
The National Pediculosis Association Reminds Parents, School Administrators and Health Professionals To Provide a Non-Chemical Choice on Head Lice For Children, Families, and Yourself! NEWTON, MASS. (PRWEB) SEPTEMBER 03, 2019 Children of any age or size are vulnerable to the harmful effects of pesticides. They also often have pregnant or nursing mothers who should never be exposed to chemical treatments either by applying them to themselves or to others. Too many people unfortunately overuse chemical agents out of fear and frustration without adequate warning of the risks to themselves and the environment. "Children's exposures to pesticides should be limited as much as possible." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23184105/ Each of us has unique vulnerabilities. …
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September is National Head Lice Prevention Month
September is National Head Lice Prevention Month - Time for Parents to CombFirst! 'Everyone Wins When Everyone Combs' NEWTON, MASS. (PRWEB) - AUGUST 27, 2019 Just in time for the National Pediculosis Association’s (NPA) National Head Lice Prevention Month kick-off on September 1 and its message to parents—CombFirst! The organization has launched mobile-friendly redesigns of HeadLice.org and LiceMeister.com in conjunction with its annual educational campaign to help families prevent, manage and treat children with head lice, safely and effectively. The campaign emphasizes the importance of routine screening, early detection and the most important public health measure of sending children to school without lice and nits (eggs). “The NPA’s message is especially timely, as the …
When children aren’t included in the conversation about head lice their imaginations can run wild
When children aren’t included in the conversation about head lice their imaginations can run wild. …
What Do Lice Look Like & How To Do Away With Them Fast
The Ultimate Guide That Puts Kids First When parents discover their child has lice their typical reaction is dread. The dread comes from not really knowing what to do while feeling pressure to address the situation immediately. It’s easy to understand why. There is an overwhelming amount of information about lice on the web with all sides weighing in: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the National Pediculosis Association (NPA), the National Association of School Nurses, researchers, public health departments, school districts, universities, hospitals, allopathic health practitioners, holistic health practitioners, mommy blogs, mainstream news media, alternative news media, professional lice treatment services …
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Head Lice: Everyone Wins When Everyone Combs!
For Immediate Release. August 14, 2019. National Pediculosis Association Urges Parents to Be Proactive Newton, MA — August is back-to-school for many communities across the nation and time to prepare the kids for returning to the classroom. The National Pediculosis Association (NPA) encourages parents to screen their children’s hair for pediculosis so these students can join their friends free of lice and their nits (lice eggs). The message for parents is to be diligent about pediculosis – a communicable parasitic disease that is well established among the childhood population. The NPA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to setting the highest possible public health standards to protect children from both head lice and the risky pesticide-based lice …
CombFirst! Before Camp, Advises the National Pediculosis Association
"As children and teens dive into the summer camp season, the National Pediculosis Association (NPA) today encouraged parents, counselors, camp nurses and administrators to prevent head lice from interfering with even a minute of fun! 'Camps that promote parental preparedness via screening for lice before camp are one giant step ahead,' said Deborah Altschuler, President of the NPA, a nonprofit organization advocating for children to arrive at camp lice and nit free. 'There are camp directors spending thousands of dollars checking children for pediculosis upon arrival without teaching parents how to comb their children for lice and nits at home. Parents can and should be first to detect infestations before sending children to camp. Those who know about screening for head lice with a lice …
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Genetic diversity of human head lice and molecular detection of associated bacterial pathogens in Democratic Republic of Congo
Background Head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, is an obligatory blood-sucking ectoparasite, distributed worldwide. Phylogenetically, it occurs in five divergent mitochondrial clades (A–E); each exhibiting a particular geographical distribution. Recent studies suggest that, as in the case of body louse, head louse could be a disease vector. We aimed to study the genetic diversity of head lice collected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and to screen for louse-borne pathogens in these lice. Methods A total of 181 head lice were collected from 27 individuals at the Monkole Hospital Center located in Kinshasa. All head lice were genotyped and screened for the presence of louse-borne bacteria using molecular methods. We searched for Bartonella …