head lice - how to detect them in tods?

[jsmonton]

my son has a soft curly hair, i shampooed his hair everyday with J&J shampoo with a pea size amount. I have noticed that whenever he feels hot or his head started to be wet with perspiration, (especially if the a/c is almost like a fun or after he made some running here n there)he would scratch his head! he does not play with other kids in the park, he hardly associate with other kids so i don't assume he would catch it from his playmates. i tried to check his hair thoroughly but have not seen anything in particular.
is there something i can do to help my son?is his scratching means he have head lice?

[nhockaday]

I seriously doubt he has lice, especially if he is just itching occasionally. Lice make your head itch all of the time, and it's normally around the ears and on the back of the head. And if you are looking, you probably would have seen some by now. He probably just has a dry scalp. My son still has spots of cradle cap in some places. You can get some Selsun Blue Shampoo to use occasionally. Just use a small amount and make sure it doesn't get into his eyes. That's what a doctor recommended I do for my son's cradle cap. It's made for dry scalp, so it helps clear it up. You could always ask your doctor to check for lice if you want to make sure.

Signs of a Head Lice Infestation

Anyone can get head lice. They are not a sign of being dirty. Most people don't know they have lice until they see them. One telltale sign of head lice is a persistent itching of the scalp which is sometimes accompanied by inflamed scratch marks or what appears to be a rash. Itching may not start until several weeks after a person has been infested. Head lice have been reported to be more prevalent in girls than boys.

Live head lice may be difficult to find as they can move quickly through hair, usually near the scalp. Adult head lice are usually brownish in color, and the nymph stage is usually transparent to reddish brown.

MDHNits are more readily seen even though they are only about 1/16th of an inch long. They are most often found along the hairline at the back of the head and neck and behind the ears. The color of the nits is variable (white, grey, dark brown, or somewhat translucent). Nits should not be confused with an accumulation of hair spray, hair gels or dandruff. Dandruff can be easily flicked off the hair; nits cannot because they are firmly attached to individual hairs.

[jsmonton]

whew!what a relief!thanks for the information nhockaday! is selsun blue safe to use on our toddlers?i'm always skeptical to use adult products on my son
thanks again for the great information.

[nhockaday]

Well, it's not something to use every day, and like I said, just use a small amount and keep it out of his eyes. It won't hurt him if you use it right. It should make his head feel better.

[webrey]

head lice is a persistent itching of the scalp which is sometimes accompanied by inflamed scratch marks or what appears to be a rash.    

[TracyR4]

No scratching doesn't neccesarily mean head lice. He could have dandruff.
The only way to tell is if you look at the hair close to the head and see the nits. Sometimes they could look like dandruff. But if they don't come off easily and you have to pull it off the hair then its lice. Another sure fire way to know is to take the nit and put it in bleach. If it starts to darken up its lice. Dandruff will stay the same color.
Its hard to tell if you have a child with light hair.
My 2nd daughter had gotten lice once. Freaked me out. But it has nothing to do with cleanliness and your child could have gotten it from absolutely anywhere. No need to be near kids. LOL

[Skylark]

Another thing, - he might be sensitive to J&J shampoo you are using. You really do not need to use chemical shampoo (or any shampoo for that matter) that often, as it can cause extra dryness or skin reaction, hence itching...

 Lots of shampoos use SLS, which can cause irritation to the scalp, or parabens and colorants, which can cause eczema-type itching (increases with heat, moisture exposure).


Here is just a small sample of the toxins found in most shampoos:

Alcohol, isopropyl (SD-40) is a very drying and irritating solvent and dehydrator that strips your skin’s moisture and natural immune barrier. It is made from propylene, a petroleum derivative, and is found in many skin and hair products

FD&C color pigments are synthetic colors made from coal tar, containing heavy metal salts that deposit toxins onto the skin, causing skin sensitivity and irritation.

Mineral oil is a petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores. It interferes with skin’s ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne, itchiness and other disorders.

Propylene glycol (PG) and butylene glycol are petroleum plastics which act as surfactants (wetting agents and solvents). They easily penetrate the skin and can weaken protein and cellular structure. Commonly used to make extracts from herbs, PG is strong enough to remove barnacles from boats!

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are detergents and surfactants

So you can check the one you are using, and try to find and use the one that would have least of these. Or you can try some natural alternatives, just do some search and there are many neat alternatives out there. I remember my mom used egg yokes for washing my hair when I was little, because I was very sensitive to anything that contained chemicals. It worked great. But I am sure there are many many different neat ideas out there.

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