SANDRA RAY
Parents have always been told that head lice are transmitted quickly from person to person, especially in childcare centers or schools and if the person is in contact with someone who is infected. Much of the literature suggests that lice can be spread by using another person's hair accessories or just by sharing the same bedding. Recent researchers in Australia are trying to dispel these myths.
Researchers recently discovered that transmission of head lice has little to do with casual contact such as sharing bedding or hair accessories. Instead, they found that head lice actually need hair follicles moving in a specific direction and speed in order for the adult lice to latch on and "move in." The lead researcher, Dr. Deon Canyon states that, "They [the studies] do not support the hypothesis that head lice are able to transfer head-to-head by the slightest bodily contact."
What does this mean for parents? The study suggests that actual head-to-head contact is needed for lice to transfer from an infected to child to another host. Still, parents need to be vigilant in treating an outbreak in order to prevent it from spreading to other family members and children.
Following Dr. Canyon's study, avoiding head-to-head contact with the infected child should minimize the transmission of head lice. Over-the-counter remedies seem to work well, as long as all the eggs (nits) are removed from the hair. For hard-to-treat cases, a phone call to the child's pediatrician may suggest other remedies.
Sandra Ray is a freelance writer who lives in Midland, TX. She is the mother of three children and frequently works on health-related articles.
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