(Via: awm.com)
Finding out your child has lice is one of the most dreaded moments any parent can go through. From the time a child is in an environment where he/she is exposed to other children, the lice epidemic is discussed and thought about by all parents.
It’s a hot topic with moms and dads on the playground and in playgroup settings. All parents dread it and those who have gone through it, have tips on how to get rid of it. It’s one of those things that just go along with parenting.
Parents are bound to cringe at the latest news about lice. Apparently, there is something known as “super lice” and it has taken over 25 states in the U.S.
The scary part is that these super lice aren’t slowing down anytime soon and they are resistant to over-the-counter treatments. What that means is that they are spreading at a rapid pace and they are nearly impossible to get rid of. Yikes.
That is especially concerning considering 12 million children in the U.S. get lice every year.
Pyrethroid, which is an organic compound that is used in the majority of household insecticides, was responsible for assisting in killing off lice in the past and worked 100% of the time with lice cases in 2000.
However; by 2013, the effectiveness of insecticides containing pyrethroids went down to 25% because of the influx of super lice.
First spotted in Virginia and Texas, super lice now plagues 50% of the country, which gives parents a reason to be extra cautious and they are advised to keep their children from sharing hats, combs and hooded clothing with other kids.
It is also a good idea to keep long hair braided to prevent it from swinging around, making it an attractive apparatus for lice.
Lice Care Specialists, Gennie Kova says that she stays busy all year long treating kids with lice. While she sees all kinds of children, Kova says that the 13-year-old cheerleader is the most common patient for her.
“They hug all the time and they like to lean in for pictures,” said Kova who admits that adults are not void of lice outbreaks and they often catch the creatures on airplanes and in movie theaters.
Her best advice is to get treatment as soon as you find out you have lice because the longer you have them the harder they are to get rid of.
On a mission to combat these superhero creatures, Lice Clinics of America invented a new weapon called AirAlle, which uses heated air to dehydrate the lice and the eggs in a single treatment.
“It takes about an hour and we guarantee it,” said Lice Clinics of America CEO, Claire Roberts.
The device costs $170, but it may be covered by insurance. There are also prescription medications that work and some have found success in combing treatments, but the best way to avoid the super creatures from causing a ruckus in your house is to prevention.
If your household is inflicted by lice, the first thing that experts advise you to do is vacuum, wash bedding in hot water and put stuffed animals and clothing in a hot dryer.
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