Lice can be a pesky problem year-round for families living in warm climate

It's just about the scariest thing you could ever find in your child's book bag, yet it happens to countless families across the country every year.

It's that piece of paper that says: "There has been a reported case of head lice in your child's class."

Just the very words "head lice" bring with them a huge yuck factor. Throw in nits and nymphs, and Pediculus humanus var. capitis is downright disgusting.

"It's just a fact of life," says Cario Middle School nurse Maureen Catenacci, who sent such a warning letter to parents at her school on April 11. "It's part of living here in the warm weather. We see them year-round."

Lice are bugs that live on people's scalps, eat blood and spread through contact. They don't jump or fly and don't spread from people to pets. They can live two days on inanimate objects, such as hats or bedding. While they're disgusting, they don't carry disease and are not a health problem.

Head lice infestations happen worldwide and know no social or economic boundaries. They do not discriminate between clean and dirty heads.

They are more common in children through elementary-school age, and girls tend to be affected more often than boys, according to the CDC. In the United States, African-Americans rarely get head lice. According to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, a child with head lice is to be sent home from school and can't return until after the first treatment.

While head lice are generally harmless, having a case of the little insects can be, well, lousy.

"It's been years since we last had them, and still, the mention of them makes me itch," says mom Kelly McKay of Charleston. "I know now that I went overboard when I was trying to get rid of them, but when you find out you have them, that's easy to do. You just want them gone, and gone now."

Catenacci says many of the cases at Cario involve children with younger siblings at elementary schools that also have had occurrences. Often, parents will call her to report the insects.

While it seems that almost everyone gets them at some point, some precautions will help avoid them. Discourage your child from head-to-head contact with other children. Teach them not to share hats, brushes, combs, hair accessories, helmets, headphones or other personal items, and to use caution around people who recently have been infested.

How do you know if your child has lice?

There's no reason to nitpick, so to speak, unless you know your child has been around someone who has them, or you notice that your child is scratching his scalp a lot. Then check. You have a problem only if you see a live bug.

In any case, before treatment, experts advise to be absolutely certain your child has lice and not some other ailment that causes an itchy scalp. By the time you notice scratching, your child could have had lice for several weeks.

Many schools send letters home, as Cario did, if a child is found to be infested.

"Some school nurses don't believe in sending out letters, but Cindy (Halewood, Cario's other nurse) and I both feel that we're better off keeping parents informed," Catenacci says. "Sometimes, the letter causes panic, but we send it in hopes of the parents becoming more aware."

Lice have a life cycle of about a month. They have three stages: nits, nymphs and lice.

Nits are eggs. Each female lays five or six eggs a day on separate strands of hair near the scalp. They take eight to 10 days to hatch into a baby louse or nymph. The nymphs mature into adult lice in about a week. Lice, which are about the size of a sesame seed, can live 30 days on a person's head. They are most commonly found behind the ears and at the neckline.

Experts seem to disagree on whether it's necessary to wash bedding or pack away stuffed animals in plastic bags for two weeks, but parents say no amount of caution is too much. Consumer Reports Health says there's no evidence that doing this is helpful.

"I packed away everything I could," says Lauren Thomas of Charleston, whose children had a case last fall. "I vacuumed, cleaned and did laundry practically all night after we found them. They are a mother's worst nightmare because you just feel like you'll never get rid of them."

Natural head lice treatments run the gamut from onion juice to vinegar, garlic clove and lemon juice, mayonnaise and Vaseline.

"I just heard you had to suffocate them, and mayonnaise is good for that because it's greasy," Thomas says. But scientists say there's no evidence it works. "I also liked that I could do it every day and didn't have to wait a week in between."

Over-the-counter insecticidal remedies include products such as Rid and Triple X, which are made from natural extracts. Because they don't kill nits, a second treatment is needed a week after the first. Other products, such as Nix, are similar, but not all-natural. Nix continues to kill newly hatched lice for several days, but still may require a second treatment.

Even stronger prescription medicines, such as Malathion, brand name Ovide, and Lindane, brand name Kwell, can be more effective but have possible side effects that make them the last option for many families.

"I always think that if you can avoid prescription strength, you're better off," McKay says.

No matter what action you take, chances are you won't soon forget your experience.

"Having lice in your house is something you never get over," Thomas says. "Every time I see my kids scratch their scalp, I think about it. I wouldn't wish head lice on my worst enemy."

Brenda Rindge can be reached at 937-5713 or at brindge@postandcourier.com.