Dont use preventive head lice treatments! Pharmacists are warning parents never to expose children to head lice treatments as a precautionary measure to prevent the outbreak of head lice. They say these products should only be used to treat head lice. Using head lice products as a preventive measure doesnt work, has no benefits and exposes children to pesticides unnecessarily. Parents are advised : * Check childrens hair for lice regularly. Wet-comb the hair every week and tie up long hair in a ponytail to avoid hair coming into contact with other hair that might be infested. * Itching and scratching are common signs of head lice. As well as live lice which crawl around the head, look out for nits which are tiny eggs that may look like dandruff but cant be flicked off the hair. * Check around the nape of the neck and ears as well as the head. * Treat the hair only if live lice or unhatched eggs are present. Treat the child and other family members as soon as possible. Always ask your pharmacist for advice on the most appropriate product to use. * Inform the school, contacts and friends when your child has nits. The school can then inform other parents that there is an outbreak, so everyone can check and treat their own children. * Always follow the instructions on the treatment pack and any advice given by your pharmacist. Products used to treat head lice do not prevent the infection from occurring and should never be used as a preventative measure.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 10:43:22 +0000