How to Treat Your Child for Head Lice
- 1). Wash your child's hair with a shampoo containing dimethicone. This type of shampoo works by lubricating the hair, which may allow parents to remove lice manually instead of using a pesticide. (See Resources.)
- 2). Run a fine-toothed comb through your child's hair to remove lice and eggs. Use your fingers to pick out any that the comb does not get out. If manual removal does not completely get rid of lice, you will need to use a pesticide-containing product.
- 3). Apply an over-the-counter or prescription medicine containing pesticide according to the directions in the box or printed on the bottle. These include medicines containing pyrethrin, pyrethrum, permethrin, lindane or malathion. The amount you use will depend on the product and the pesticide it contains.
- 4). Rinse the pesticide medicine out of your child's hair after the interval indicated in the product directions. This may range from 10 minutes to overnight, depending on the product.
- 5). Check your child's head eight to 12 hours after treatment to see if any live lice remain. If you still see plenty of live lice, they may be resistant to the particular medicine you used. Switch to a different pesticide-containing product and repeat the application and rinse steps. If few live lice remain, comb out those lice and the dead lice with your fine-toothed comb.
- 6). Machine wash all bedding, clothing, hats and hair accessories that your child wore or used in the two days prior to treatment. The water temperature of your washing machine should be 130 degrees or hotter. Dry the items on high heat after washing. Have any items that are not machine-washable professionally dry-cleaned.
- 7). Soak all of the combs and brushes your child has used in boiling water for 10 minutes.
- 8). Vacuum all carpets, upholstery and mattresses in your home.
- 9). Inspect your child's head every two to three days for re-infestation, combing it thoroughly to check for any lice or eggs. If lice return, repeat the pesticide application and rinse steps again.
- 10
Re-treat your child's head on the ninth day after the initial treatment to kill any lice that might have hatched since the original pesticide application. If you are using a malathion-based product, this step is not necessary unless live lice are visible.
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