Des Moines Mom Asks: My Kids Were Just Diagnosed with Lice. Does that Mean I Have It?

LiceDoctors finds that in the vast majority of families, if the children have head lice then the mom has it. Head lice travel from head to head and as we moms are in close contact with our kids, it is a likely scenario that we will inherit a bug or two from them. In fact, in about three quarters of the families we treat, when a child presents with lice, the mom has it too. In almost as many cases, at least one sibling will have gotten lice from the primary family infestation.

It usually takes a minimum of 2 to 3 weeks before someone exhibits signs if lice. The initial lice that arrived onto the head lay their eggs and then about 10 days later those eggs hatch and about a week or so later you may feel itching as the babies and adult lice bite the head to get blood for their food. By the time you see your child scratching her head, she has been harboring those bugs for weeks. Just think how many times over those couple of weeks, you were in close contact with your child. Lice have become part of life for school-aged children.

We receive calls from parents all over Iowa asking up us the same questions: if my child has life, does that mean that I do? Or how did my child and I both get lice?

To help ward off lice, LiceDoctors suggests that you check your child every week in a bright room. You should check and see if there are translucent eggs (nits) that are glued to one side of the hair shaft. Of course, the sooner you discover a case, the less likely it is that your child will have time to spread the lice to other family members including you. Also spraying hair with a lice repellent or hair spray or gel or mousse will put a barrier around the hair so lice can not claw on as easily.

At LiceDoctors, we are big fans of our kids giving us hugs. We just hope that if you feel the same way, you will check regularly for signs of lice. If you find that you have head lice in the Des Moines area, don't worry, we will help you. Call us at 515-650-2678 and a lice expert will treat you, day or night, at your convenience any day of the week.