"With the cleanliness of good there are no lice" - read the slogan invented by the heroes of Lev Kassil's novel "Conduit and Schwambrania", written in 1928-1931. In those years, pediculosis (parasitic disease, which is a skin lesion with blood-sucking insects - lice) was quite a common problem. In general, it is believed that pediculosis spreads mainly during and after wars, accidents, that is, in conditions of unsanitary, crowded living, against a background of stress. However, it is erroneous to consider that in our time pediculosis is finally defeated. Unfortunately, no one is immune from infection with lice, even if he carefully observes the rules of hygiene. Often in our time, pediculosis affects children, especially girls with long hair.
Prevention of pediculosis in children
- The main means of preventing pediculosis in children is elementary hygiene. The child should know that you can not use other people's hairbrushes, hairpins, just like giving your own. You can not change headgear and other personal things.
- Girls should wear pigtails rather than walking with loose hair, as they can touch them during games, and at this point the lice can creep from the infected head to a healthy one.
- If any of the children in your child's school or kindergarten group have lice found, examine the head and neck of the baby every day so that, in the event that lice or nits (larvae of lice) are found, immediately begin treatment.
How to treat pediculosis in children?
If your child still "brought" home lice, prepare for a hard and painstaking work to remove them. Lice reproduce with great speed, and you need to act with lightning speed. Fortunately, we live in an age when there are plenty of drugs for the treatment of pediculosis, including in children, in pharmacies. To fight against lice, you will need:
- An anti-pediculous shampoo or emulsion (for example, Nittifor, Reed, Pedilin, etc., a 20% suspension of benzyl benzoate or 0.15% aqueous emulsion of carbophus can also be used). They are all very toxic, many can cause allergies, so it's best if you consult a doctor and he will give the child a specific remedy. Most likely, he will recommend a special baby shampoo or other remedy for pediculosis for children. Use it according to the medical prescriptions.
- An anti-neoplasmic spray (A-Steam or Para-Plus) that needs to be treated with the child's head, all family members (regardless of whether the infection has occurred or not), all items in the house that can not be washed and / or ironed with a hot iron. For disinfestation of living quarters, you can also invite employees of the dezotdela State Center for Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance (GTSSEN).
- Table vinegar (5-10%) - for the destruction of nits. Treated by special means (see items 1,2), the head is rinsed with vinegar and wrapped with a plastic bag or towel for 30 minutes.
- A special frequent comb, which must be carefully combed out the remaining in the hair after processing dead lice and nits.
After you have straightened directly with lice and their larvae, it is necessary to wash in hot water (it is best to boil, if possible) and iron with hot iron all bed and underwear, headdresses, scarves, elastic bands for
Folk remedies for pediculosis
If for some reason you can not use the ready-made pharmacy, you can resort to traditional medicine. Here are some common and effective folk remedies for pediculosis:
- kerosene - lubricate the head and hair and wrap it for 20 minutes with a towel, then comb out;
- cranberry juice - rub into the scalp for 10 days;
- acetic infusion of herb buds with ivy (20 g of herb at 0.5 tbsp vinegar) - lubricate the scalp in the morning and in the evening;
- chaotic water, tar soap, etc.