Pediculosis, common head lice or pediculus capitis, are blood-sucking insects that parasite the scalp of humans. They reproduce through eggs and multiply rapidly. They go from person to person or, if you like, from hair to hair, by direct contact. Clean and / or short hair does not constitute a defense against lice, quite the opposite, and therefore it is good for parents to bear this fact in mind. The lice are transmitted through the contact, but do not have wings, nor jump, and also by combs, brushes or hats.

When a lice finds a head that it likes, and remember it does not have to be a badly washed head, it is installed next to the scalp and makes its home there. Since he is a blood sucker, he begins by biting the skin of the scalp and after biting and sucking some blood, he defecates. Each lice feeds about five times a day and in the set of these meals can give up to 200 nibbles. The nib itself does not cause pain, but as the lice give saliva when it bites, the saliva has allergenic substances, the small wounds ignite and the child is itchy (hence it is always scratching).

However, every time it feeds, the lice defecate. By scratching the individual himself causes the lice feces to enter the wounds, which further increases the irritation of the skin. Feces that fall to the face and eyes can cause dermatitis (especially behind the ears), conjunctivitis and ocular allergic symptoms that are often not immediately related to parasitoids because the typical symptoms may not be evident ... and as people hide the fact, it is not often known that there are other children infested in school or day care.

At seven days of age the lice begin to lay eggs. The eggs attach to the roots of the hair and the inflammation of the skin increases, so the person itches more.

At some point the lice droppings can enter the bloodstream, causing a widespread disease, which is characterized by malaise and a feeling of weakness. On the other hand, and in addition to the malaise, as the child spends the night scratching himself, sleeps badly and goes to the semi-dormant classes. When the situation persists, school performance drops. Hence the cause-effect relationship between lice infestation and school failure.

The diagnosis is usually made through the existence of nits that are, neither more nor less, the eggshells of lice eggs - pearly white, bright, clinging to the hair. The eggs are put at the level of the scalp and when the infestation is detected already lasts for many weeks. The eggs, when they still have the lice inside, are black. If no head lice are found on the head and the nits are more than 2 cm away from the scalp, it is a sign that the child is no longer infested.

It is easy to determine how long the lice are in the host. As hair grows an average of 1 cm per month, and as the nits do not move, the height they are from the hair root (ie the number of centimetres), indicates the number of months.

Some situations may mimic nits. The most frequent is due to the fact that the scalp of some children produce in large quantity clusters of keratin that cling to the hair and are white in colour. They distinguish themselves from nits because they surround the hair rather than being clawed only on one side, as in the case of nits, in addition to leaving with greater ease.

First of all it is essential not to be afraid to talk about it or to think that having lice is a sign of "crap". The biggest friend of the lice is the silence that is made to his wheel. The best way to get rid of them is to talk about them, to know and admit that they exist and infest children from all walks of life.

Finally, the question of prohibiting or not entering school: every school has its rules, but it should be remembered that when the infestation is discovered the child has had lice for many weeks. More important than being strict about this aspect is teaching children hygiene habits and the need to comb every day, checking children's heads regularly, and talking about it so parents can accept the situation and get treatment right. Many parents hide the subject out of shame but also because they are afraid of school reactions.