H49 -- December 2007 -- Lice

Intro: Lice. The word alone is enough to make your head itch. And like it or not, all children are at risk of getting lice no matter how good their hygiene. Let's go to Mayo Clinic to find out the best ways to get rid of head lice if your kids bring the bugs home from school.

"WE HAVE TO JUST CHECK FOR ANY NITS AGAIN."

HEAD LICE. THE NASTY BUGS INVADED ROSEMARY PERSON'S HOUSE AFTER ONE OF HER KIDS BROUGHT SOME HOME FROM A BIRTHDAY PARTY.

"THE EGGS LOOK LIKE LITTLE ANTS BUT SMALLER."

AND BOY DO THEY ITCH.

"I KEPT SCRATCHING MY HEAD."

PLUS, THEY'RE HARD TO GET RID OF. ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE LIKE ROSEMARY PERSONS WHOSE FOUR KIDS ALL HAD LICE AT THE SAME TIME. FIRST SHE SMOTHERED THEIR HAIR WITH OVER-THE COUNTER PESTICIDE LOTION. THEN THE REAL WORK BEGAN.

"I SPENT HOURS AND HOURS COMBING OUT ALL THE NITS. LITERALLY ALL I DID THAT ENTIRE WEEK WAS LAUNDRY AND COMB OUT HAIR."

"I VACUUMED ALL THE RUGS, EVERY PIECE OF FURNITURE EVERY DAY."

"YOU NEED TO DO WHAT I CALL TRIPLE VACUUMING."

DR. DAWN DAVIS SAYS LICE HAVE SURVIVED SINCE ANTIQUITY. THE BUGS ARE MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE AND THEY'VE BEEN FOUND ON ANCIENT MUMMIES. LICE HAVE LASTED SO LONG BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADAPT AND BECOME RESISTANT TO TREATMENTS.

"THERE'S A LOT OF RESISTANCE IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE LOUSE HAS OUTSMARTED OUR PHARMACOLOGY."

SO WHAT PRODUCTS SHOULD YOU USE? DR. DAVIS SAYS THE MOST COMMON TREATMENTS ARE OVER-THE-COUNTER LOTION AND CREAM PESTICIDES. BUT SHE SUGGESTS TALKING TO YOUR DOCTOR BECAUSE IF LICE ARE A BIG PROBLEM IN YOUR AREA, YOU MAY WANT TO GET A PRESCRIPTION FOR SOMETHING STRONGER. SO IF YOUR CHILD BRINGS HOME THE BUGS, DON'T PANIC. WITH A LITTLE HARD WORK AND LOTS OF PATIENCE, YOU'LL EVENTUALLY GET RID OF THEM.

FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I'M VIVIEN WILLIAMS.

Anchor tag: Dr. Davis says you also need to wash all your clothes and put things like stuffed animals in airtight containers for two weeks. That will suffocate the lice.

She also says while lice are a nuisance, they do not cause serious health issues.

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