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Lice

Baby health

Lice

Head lice are tiny parasitic insects that live inside a child hairs.

How to check if your child has lice?
You may be able to see the lice or lice eggs by parting your child’s hair into small sections and checking for them with a fine-tooth comb. Use a torch or bright light to help spot them. 

When to get medical help?

Not all children have the classic symptoms of head lice and some can be symptom-free.

Treatments for children under 2 months old:

Treatment for children over 2 months old: 

Make sure any medication is safe
While some shampoos are safe for children as young as 2 months, other medicines are only safe for children 2 years and older. Follow the directions on the product label exactly because these products are insecticides. Applying too much medication, or using it too often, can increase the risk of harm.

After treatment you can use a fine-tooth comb to comb out the nits. You may need to repeat treatment in 7 to 10 days to kill any newly hatched nits.

How to prevent your child from getting lice

How to prevent reinfestation at home?

Things you shouldn’t do

Verified:

Dr. Piyawut Kreetapirom, MD. (1 July 2020)

Sources:

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