Is lice a lifestyle choice?

RELATED: Experts: Head lice cases spike in the fall
It has reclassified head lice from a health hazard to a lifestyle choice. The organization declared head lice don't spread disease and you can't catch anything from another person via head lice.

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What is the lifestyle advice for head lice?

Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play and other activities at home, school, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp). Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons, or barrettes. Do not share combs, brushes, or towels.

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Is having head lice neglect?

However, untreated head lice or other such conditions may indicate that a family needs services, but the problem is not severe enough to prompt Child Protective Services intervention. A positive urine toxicology screen for illicit drugs is usually a sufficient finding for a diagnosis of neglect.

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What is the purpose of lice in life?

Recent studies have shown the benefits of having lice. While it may sound ridiculous and unbelievable, there's scientific evidence that a certain kind of louse can be beneficial in reducing the chances of developing immune deficiencies.

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Is lice a big problem in Australia?

Head lice (Pediculus Capitis) are a common problem that most parents, students and teachers in Australia are familiar with. They are tiny parasites, about the size of a sesame seed, and live on the human scalp and hair. They feed on human blood up to 4 times a day.

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Head Lice - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options

40 related questions found

Can poor hygiene cause lice?

Body lice infestations (pediculosis) are spread most commonly by close person-to-person contact but are generally limited to persons who live under conditions of crowding and poor hygiene (for example, the homeless, refugees, etc.).

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Did everyone used to have lice?

In the middle ages, humans couldn't get away from lice. They were an unavoidable part of their life and lice didn't discriminate; they infected all parts of society from serfs to royals. People in the Middle Ages took lice to their grave as well. They lived a life of itch, itch, itch!

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What would happen if lice went extinct?

They serve no greater purpose in the ecosystem, as they are literally just a parasite that lives on the human. No animal has them as a staple of their diet, so if they went extinct, all that would happen is that we'd no longer get lice.

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How does the first person get lice?

So you may wonder, where did head lice come from in the first place? There is a short answer and a long answer to this question. The short answer is that if you or your child have lice, you got them from another person through head-to-head contact.

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Should I freak out about lice?

But as another school year ramps up, researchers and nurses are working hard to get out an important message: Do not panic. Lice don't carry diseases. They don't jump, fly or crawl around on furniture, which means they don't spread as easily as most people think.

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Should you tell people you have lice?

Mimi Stamer, Massachusetts School Nurse Organization: If you haven't told anyone that your child was recently treated for lice, you need to do so because it is likely that other children may have live lice hatching and the spread may continue if those children aren't treated too.

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Can you have trauma from lice?

PSLD (or post traumatic lice disorder) is a very real condition that both you and your child can suffer from if head lice aren't treated promptly. The long-term effects of PSLT can shape a child's self-esteem for years. PSLT can affect children well after they are finally free of head lice.

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Is head lice embarrassing?

Remind your child that while having lice can be embarrassing, anyone can get them. Having head lice is not a sign of dirtiness or poor hygiene. The pesky little bugs can be a problem no matter how often kids do — or don't — wash their hair or bathe. Dealing with head lice can be frustrating, but be patient.

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What do head lice hate?

What repels head lice? Coconut, tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon grass, and peppermint are scents popularly believed to repel lice. Using any coconut scented shampoo and conditioner is an easy way to increase your defense. At 1% concentration, tea tree oil killed 100% of head lice after 30 minutes.

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What is the fear of lice called?

No one wants head lice, but for some, they represent a near phobia (or even a true phobia: Pediculophobia, is the fear of lice). Just the idea that there are seemingly invisible bugs crawling on you is too horrifying to imagine. But that's exactly what many people do.

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Are some people immune to lice?

No one is immune, but frequent head checks help

Anyone can get lice, and personal hygiene has nothing to do with the likelihood of being infested, Rukke said. “Personal hygiene and how often you wash your hair is of little importance. Having head lice doesn't mean you are unclean.

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Can nits live in shaved hair?

Shaving Will Not Get Rid of Lice.

The reason shaving will not work is because lice live on the base of the hair, and on the scalp. The nits are laid right at the base of the hair oftentimes against the scalp. Shaving will not get close enough to make an impact on the lice and nits.

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Why don't adults get lice?

Adults are not immune to head lice. In fact, if you have any close contact with children or even parents of children you can be at risk of catching them if they have them. Lice transfer primarily through head to head contact, so you would have to get close to the other person.

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How did medieval people get rid of lice?

Medieval folklore suggests that lard was used to try and suffocate lice and nits off of a scalp. Others propose simply keeping the hair combed through and clean was of so little a priority that no one even bothered with lice.

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Why is lice not common in adults?

Why Do Kids Get Head Lice More than Adults? The answer is pretty straightforward. It's not that the pesky critters prefer children's blood to adult's. It's the simple fact that kids are in closer contact with one another on a daily basis.

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Why is it so easy to get lice?

It is easy to get lice.

Lice are spread by head-to-head contact and are much harder to get than a cold, the flu, ear infections, pink eye, strep throat or impetigo. Avoiding lice is important, as they are dirty and spread disease. Lice do not spread any known disease, nor are they impacted by hygiene.

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Do lice prefer a certain blood type?

Do lice prefer certain people or blood types? Lice prefer certain blood types. O+ being the most desired. Once feeding on one blood type, they will die if a different blood type is introduced.

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