What’s the deal with Head Lice?
Straight talk
Have your little darlings come home from school, hair crawling with the little blighters?
Let us give you some straight-talking information about Head Lice.
First things first. Your child is not in any immediate danger, as Head Lice generally don’t carry disease.
You have time for some deep breaths and to work out how you’re gonna tackle this thing. It’s actually very simple. (Phew, right?)
It’s all cool
The deal with head lice...
Head Lice do not discriminate...
…they are an equal opportunity parasite, and you’ve done nothing wrong as a parent.
Head Lice don’t care...
…about the cleanliness of hair, how much money you make, or whether you bake cakes from scratch. (If you do make cakes from scratch, can Stella come live at your house?)
Head Lice don’t fly ...
…because they don’t have wings, and they don’t jump because they don’t have knees. They have to hitch a ride to get from one head to another, which happens when two people’s hair touches. Stella calls this the Lice Superhighway.
Head Lice love any scalp...
…it’s what they eat to live. They also breed in the scalp and go about their daily life, you guessed it, in the scalp. They are gorgeous little charmers.
It's 100% Normal
No Guilt
The reason your child has Head Lice
The reason your child has Head Lice is that your child is guilty of two things:
- Having a scalp
- Being friendly with other humans
So that means you’re raising a sociable little person with a scalp. Good on you; no shame or guilt required! (Can you hear that? It’s Stella giving you a round of applause!)
The Science
Sciencey stuff that’s gonna come in handy
Head Lice crawl. Very fast. Anyone who’s tried to catch one of these varmints will attest to this fact.
Crushing one between two thumbnails can feel like the pinnacle of parental achievement.
Seeing one crawl down your sleeping child’s cheek can feel like the lowest moment of parenthood. (Been there. *sigh*)
Stella is also convinced that they camouflage themselves according to your child’s hair colour. Stella knows this because her mum told her, and then she saw it herself. Imagine her delight when she saw this is backed up by science.
Crawly, not Creepy
The nitty gritty
The lifecycle of a louse
The only thing lice love more than eating scalp is mating and having babies. (Stella actually has a fair bit of respect for lice, given their extreme dedication to these three causes.)
You don’t need to get into the nitty gritty of the life cycle of a louse. What Stella wants you to remember about the graphic attached is that you may think you’ve successfully treated Head Lice, then your child starts scratching again, and you assume they’ve been re-infected.
More likely, you didn’t get all the eggs the first time, and the stragglers have hatched. So, following up on Head Lice treatment on Day 7 (Day 1 being the first treatment) is essential. Another go on Day 14 would also be helpful. Hell, why not do a weekly Head Lice pamper sesh? Stella does!
A note about your kids
It’s not nice to be told that you’re gross, even if you are admittedly carrying around a colony of Head Lice on your head. So, be kind to them and give them lots of hugs. As the unwitting volunteer rideshare drivers for Lice, they deserve it more than ever!