School may be out throughout the country, but you and your family aren’t safe. Tiny parasitic creatures want to crawl through you and your child’s hair and gnaw away at the scalp and infest your home.
These malevolent critters are common during the school year where close proximity to other children with lice can mean the transfer of the little bugs to your child. Although, children are far less likely to contract head lice in the summertime; these wingless blood suckers can still bombard you and your family.
Here are 3 ways to help you prevent a lice infestation.
1. Hat Sharing
Ahh, summer is a great time for camp and activities where children form some of their favorite memories. It is also a great time for a lice infestation. One of the more common ways lice spread from host to another is through the sharing of personal items such as hats and brushes. Teach your children not to share these items if there is any suspicion of a lice outbreak in places where they congregate frequently.
2. Wash Frequently
Louse can live for about 24 hours when not on a nice, warm host. Which means it is a good idea to wash linens, hats and other clothes frequently. This includes other objects that come in contact with the hair and scalp such as combs and brushes.
3. Preventive Shampoo
Some shampoos that have ingredients such as coconut or olive oil make the scalp a terrible place for louse to live. The fatty acids in the oils can kill head lice quickly. Eucalyptus, tea tree and lavender oil are also great preventive measures, since louse think that stuff stinks.
