You've been scratching your head all day, but it's still itchy. Then you notice your best friend who you hang out with all the time is also scratching his head. What's the deal? Well, there's a pretty good chance you have a bunch of lice living in your hair.
Lice - What Are Lice?
A louse is a really tiny insect. Each one is about the size of a pin head, so you can barely see it. Lice are parasites - that means they live off other living things - kinda like the way you live off your parents at home. Lice live in your hair so they can suck blood from your head to stay alive. What's even worse is that lice don't hang out alone. They like to party in large groups and lay eggs, which turn into even more lice. When all these lice start biting your head at the same time, your head gets itchy.
Lice - How Do Lice Spread?
Lice will make friends with anyone. Guys, girls, white people, black people, geeks, even that cute girl at the front of the class with the perfect hair. Lice spread themselves around by moving from one head to another. They're usually found in clothes and bedding. If you share pillows, blankets, hats, caps, combs, brushes or barrettes with someone who has lice, you'll soon find those nasty things chomping at your scalp as well.
Lice - How Do I Get Rid of Lice?
If you're scratching your head all the time, get your parents, a doctor, or the school nurse to check your hair out. If you do have lice, you'll have to wash your hair with a special shampoo and then get your mom or dad to use a special lice comb to comb out the eggs that are still stuck in your hair. The shampoo will kill the lice right away and the itching should stop within a few days. You also need to wash all your clothes, blankets, hats, combs and brushes in water that's hot enough to kill any lice that are still hanging around. Remember, the best way to prevent lice is not to share stuff that other people put on their heads. Don't try on another kid's hat and never share combs or brushes.
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