DETROIT (WWJ) – Each year, approximately 6 to 12 million children in the U.S. are infested with this common, six-legged critter that feeds on human blood.
After weeks at summer camps, sleepovers and sharing of personal items, back-to-school season usually is the time when head lice infestation is noticed.
Doctors say most parents panic and worry when they discover head lice, leading them to unproved home remedies or homeopathic products.
But if you happen to find your child has the bug, here are a few tips to help ease your stress:
- Parents shouldn’t panic. In many cases, what parents see on the child’s head may not be head lice.
- If parents or school nurse suspect head lice, a visit or call to the child’s doctor can confirm the diagnosis.
- Parents should use only products that are recommended by a doctor to treat head lice.
- It’s important for parents to carefully follow the doctor’s instructions to make sure the treatment was properly applied.
- Because every school policy on head lice differs, it’s important for parents to talk with the school nurse. Healthcare professionals recommend that children remain in school since head lice do not transmit disease and are treatable.
For more information about head lice, visit www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/index.html.