| Head lice, Nits, Cooties, louse --- | | | | Head lice are difficult to locate in the hair but can be |
| Whatever you call them, they are an absolute | | | | removed, by combing them out. The hair should be |
| menace. Some people use natural remedies while | | | | combed in sections using fine toothed comb or a |
| others embark on absolute full scale chemical warfare! | | | | specific nit comb which is stocked by pharmacists. |
| Head lice, or nits as we commonly call them had not | | | | I was told that the hair should be combed when wet, |
| entered my thoughts for many years, but I was | | | | preferably with hair conditioner or olive oil, and it was |
| soon to suffer a rude awakening. | | | | important to comb for the full length from root to tip. |
| My daughter came home from school with a note | | | | After each stroke, the comb was to be examined |
| from her teacher which I assumed would be in | | | | for lice. |
| relation to her schoolwork...or even lack of it, but no, | | | | The hair could also be combed over paper, or a bowl |
| it was notification of an infestation of those annoying | | | | of water, so that any lice that results of any lice that |
| lice on her scalp. | | | | were removed which could be seen. |
| Why her I thought. her hair was always scrupulously | | | | After hours of the laborious process, I gave up, |
| clean. | | | | feeling similar to a Chimpanzee preening its partner. |
| This started me studying those nasty nits and now I | | | | Next I checked the insecticidal head lice treatments |
| feel like an expert. | | | | which seemed to contain strong chemicals with a risk |
| I soon found that Head lice ( sometimes also | | | | of side effects like malathion, phenothrin,carbaryl and |
| referred to as louse ) are insects that live on the | | | | permethrin with the potential to cause side effects |
| neck and scalp. Although they may make your head | | | | including excema, rashes and scalp irritation. |
| feel itchy, they do not usually cause illness. Their main | | | | Imagine my horror when I came across a report |
| damage appears to be embarrassment and | | | | stating that the chemicals contained in some head lice |
| discomfort., however, they do not clear up without | | | | shampoos could be factors in an increased risk of |
| treatment. | | | | childhood leukaemia. |
| I was relieved to discover that head lice seemed to | | | | This was from the French scientific research group, |
| like a clean head as their residence just as much as a | | | | INSERM, which examined 280 children diagnosed with |
| dirty one. | | | | acute leukaemia and compared them to 288 children |
| Head lice are grey or brown wingless insects with six | | | | free off the disease. |
| legs and grow to size of just 2mm with a lifespan of | | | | After interviewing the relevant parents concerning |
| around 20 days. The female lays 5 or 6 eggs each | | | | their use of insecticidal shampoos and household |
| day which are attached to the hair near the beginning | | | | chemicals, the scientists discovered that using |
| of the follicle. These yellow or white eggs are | | | | chemical based shampoos to eliminate head lice |
| referred to as nits and take around 8 days to hatch. | | | | appeared to lead to a doubling of the risk of |
| They may sometimes be mistaken for dandruff, | | | | contracting childhood leukaemia. They stated that the |
| however nits stick like glue to the hair and prove | | | | risk seemed most acute when mothers used these |
| very hard to remove. | | | | insecticides while pregnant. |
| In a child with an infestation of head lice, there are | | | | That research groups leader Dr Florence Menegaux, |
| commonly about ten lice on the scalp although there | | | | reported in part that "the findings reinforce the |
| may often be a much greater number. | | | | hypothesis that household pesticides may play a role |
| Head lice may be found in all ages of people, but are | | | | in the origin of childhood acute leukaemia." |
| most common in children between the ages of four | | | | "At this stage no specific product can be singled out |
| and twelve. | | | | and a causal link remains questionable. However, the |
| Girls seem to be more likely to suffer from head lice | | | | consistency of our results and the results from |
| than their male counterparts. | | | | previous studies suggest that it may be opportune to |
| This could be because girls are more prone to put | | | | consider preventative action.' |
| their heads together during activities and lice are | | | | This was enough for me. The sample study was |
| usually transferred by head to head contact. | | | | small, but where my daughter was involved why |
| Head lice are found in all lengths and types of hair. | | | | would I take any risks? |
| A Head lice infection can result in an itchy neck or | | | | I continued my own research and decided to |
| head, and even a rash, behind the ears or on at the | | | | formulate a head lice treatment based on natural |
| back of the neck. However, a child may have had | | | | plant products with which I had some experience. |
| head lice for some months before any symptoms | | | | After much trial and error, and what seemed |
| are noticed. | | | | countless hours tracking down nit ridden children after |
| I noted that there is no need to worry about | | | | my daughters lice infestation was cleared, it all fell |
| delousing bed linen or or hats, as the head lice will not | | | | into place. |
| survive away from the scalp and are only transferred | | | | The most effective results came from a combination |
| between people by head to head contact. | | | | of Tea Tree Oil, Citronella Oil, lavender Oil and Neem |
| Armed with all this information, I thought it would be | | | | Oil. |
| easy finding a simple head lice treatment....I was | | | | I was aware of the properties of the Tea Tree |
| wrong. | | | | (Melaleuca), and Lavender oil from my landscaping |
| "Home" remedies that I had heard of included | | | | experience in Australia, wheras my research took me |
| smothering the affected head with olive oil or | | | | to India where the Neem oil from the fruits and |
| mayonnaise | | | | seeds of Neem is used for preparing cosmetics and |
| ....yes mayonnaise, but I declined to attempt these. | | | | has been highly regarded since ancient times for |
| Initially, I tried what seemed to be the easiest, least | | | | variety of therapeutic purposes including treating skin |
| intrusive treatment which was just combing them | | | | diseases, and as an insect repellant. |
| out. | | | | |