Symptoms of Head Lice

When a child comes at home scratching his head, or is sent home back with the dreaded head lice notice, it makes parents worried. They have heard the stories; deep down they know them to be real. The first thing they will think about is, “oh no, have my child got head lice?” If they have been there before, they are acquainted with the drill. If this is a new problem that has never been come across however, that query is quickly followed by “Well, what does a head louse appear like?”

Head lice are basically parasitic insects. They are one of the few different forms of louse that invade the body. They usually reside on heads and feed of people on their blood. An adult is called as a louse and is nearly about the size of a sesame seed. The eggs which are called as nits are even smaller – almost similar to a dandruff flake. Nits and lice are easiest to notice around the neckline and behind the ears. Because of their size, they all can be a little difficult to be found. Their effects are unavoidable however and the telltale symptoms of head lice are difficult to avoid.

Firstly, all your child may complain is that they can feel something moving around their head, causing irritation and tickling to their scalp. Another dead giveaway is the scratching and itching caused by the feces and bites of the wee nasties. Itching may not begin directly however as it takes some time for the saliva to result into irritation, so it pays to actively seek them out. This is particularly important if you know that they have been exposed to a carrier.

In order to survive, head lice are required to congregate where it is most humid and warmest, so you will find them behind the ears or at the nape of the neck where the hair is thickest. Part the hair in these places for trying and identifying the infestation.    

Common symptoms of head lice are as follows:

• Tickling feeling of something moving within the hair.
• Frequent itching caused by an allergic reaction by the insects feces or saliva.
• Small red sores or bumps on the head occurred due to scratching. These sores can sometimes become infected. Infected sores may become tender and red, ooze, and after that may crust over.
• Irritability.
• Swelling of the lymph knots in the neck.

Thus, if you are suffering through all these symptoms, then you are surely having head lice residing on your head which may cause the feeling of itching and irritation in your body.