Naturally, when you find out your child needs head lice removal, one of the first concerns is how to prevent the spread to siblings. Having one child with head lice is enough – you surely don’t want two or three or four of them! But how likely is it for lice to spread from sibling to sibling?
You may not want to hear this, but lice are easily spread between siblings. These infestations start weeks before we even know they’re there, which means siblings have many opportunities to spread lice. Siblings who are young and share bedrooms and bathrooms are most at risk.
Even though the spread of head lice in homes is common, it doesn’t always happen this way. We see many families that beat the odds and only have one child with lice. Below you’ll find more information about how and why lice spreads so easily to siblings and ways to protect your family.
How is Lice Spread?
Head lice move by crawling. Even though they can’t fly, hop or jump, they are very efficient crawlers and can quickly move onto another person’s head in no time, such as when taking a quick selfie or giving a hug. Anyone who comes into head-to-head contact with someone who has lice is at the greatest risk. Of course, the first people who are most likely to have this close contact is a sibling.
Lice cannot live off the head for very long – usually about a day or so. This means that you don’t have to worry too much about cleaning, vacuuming, washing toys, etc. We recommend washing bedding, blankets and other items your child has recently used. And it’s never too early to start talking to your kids about not sharing combs, brushes and other hair accessories. This could save them from getting head lice one day!
Handling a Family Lice Infestation
If one child in the home has lice, it’s imperative that you screen everyone. You can find instructions here, but if you’re not comfortable doing it on your own, bring your family into a head lice salon like My Hair Helpers. Everyone can get checked and receive head lice removal services if they need them. Easy peasy!
Do not treat family members for lice if they don’t have them. It’s best to continue monitoring them by wet combing their hair every few days. If you find lice at a later time, you can treat them with a head lice product. Otherwise, using head lice products when you don’t need them can make them less effective later on.
Most importantly, don’t celebrate too early. Some families stop combing a few days after the treatment but the situation needs to be monitored. Nits can hatch into lice and start a new infestation, so keep combing through your child’s hair after their bath or shower. This way, you can pull out lice if they hatch.
Shop for Lice Removal Products
My Hair Helpers has a head lice salon and mobile salon, and we sell our products online with DIY advice. All products are safe and made from natural ingredients like yeast enzymes and peppermint. You can use our products on children and adults of all ages! Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have additional questions.
