| *What Every Child Needs to Know* |
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| ( As a licensed cosmetologist (hairdresser), in my line of work, I have had the unfortunate burden of having to explain to children that they are infested with head lice. It is not one of my favorite duties but I always stress a few things to these children, and thier parents as well. The most important thing I wish all children would know : "It's ok, & you don't have it as a result of having done anything wrong. " ) |
| 1) Headlice do not suddenly sprout out of nowhere. You "catch" them from other people. You could compare it to the common cold, chicken pox, or the flu. Unless you have contact with others who have them you don't get them. Headlice is no different. |
| 2) You do not get headlice because you are a dirty person, or a poor person, a rich person, a child or an adult, black, white or asian etc, educated or not. Headlice is a non- discriminatory pest. It will be happy to make it's home on any person's head. Nobody is immune to headlice. Anyone can become infested. |
| 3) There is no reason at all to be embarassed about having headlice. You did not ask for it. You do not deserve to have it. If you have lice it is not your fault or anyone else's fault either. Headlice is very contagious, spreads quickly & usually without anyone's knowledge of it's presence. Headlice is an infection, a disease in fact. |
| 4) Although I do not know of any completely fool proof or entirely effective ways that people can use in protecting themselves from head lice infestations, there are ways of lessoning the chances of catching it. Never share personal articles such as brushes & combs, hats, or helmets, or clothing in general. Also warn them of trying on hats while shopping in a store too. Children should get into the habit of carrying a backpack to school, and once entering the building, place all coats, hats etc, inside the closed backpack. This may help in preventing lice infestation in that lice can crawl from one hanging coat to another. It is not fool proof, but it may help. |
| 5) Head lice can not jump, & they are not capable of flying. They crawl. |