QuestionI know a little girl who has had head lice going on 4 years including in the winter time. The mother states the child is getting them from school. For 4 years?!?! Can this little girl be getting them back if the mother is not treating them appropriately? How can head lice survive the cold weather?
Thank you,
Amy
AnswerWinter is in fact the most common time for lice because of the hats, scarfs, and coats. 4 years sounds like an awful long time, though, and there may be other issues or other causes for the continued infestation. In addition, it may indeed not be lice, but some other issue that should be evaluated and confirmed.
Problem is that you have to be meticulous with bagging linens, pillows, blankets, etc at home, and then you need to treat and recheck, and retreat the child at regular intervals. Over the counter treatments are usually sufficient, but again, constant checking and retreatment are often necessary.
If the infestation continues, then more drastic steps should be taken, both at school and home. The school should have a policy on lice outbreaks, and if they don't this should be explored.
I have 3 children and all of us, including myself and my wife, have had to deal with lice this year. There is often an "ostrich" or "head in the sand" approach, which is obviously not helpful.
One sure cure is to cut the hair very very short. Without the hair shaft, the adult louse has no place to lay eggs. Also, the entire family usually needs to be treated, not just the child.
Hope that helps.
