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Expert Q&A
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| By Deborah Z. Altschuler Lice Expert | ||
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Are there certain times of the year that lice are more prevalent?
Many attribute the fall or the back-to-school as the time of year when head lice are most prevalent. The truth of the matter is that this is merely the time of year when people are made more aware and are more likely to notify friends and school officials about infestations. Head lice represent a non-reportable disease, and good incidence data is hard to come by. On the other hand, the National Pediculosis Association receives requests for help with head lice from people all over the world, 12 months a year, 24/7.
It is interesting to note that as sales of the pesticide shampoos continue to decline, the visitors to www.headlice.org continue to increase, breaking new records. We believe this is a hopeful indication that better informed parents are taking the opportunity to avoid ineffective, potentially harmful pesticide and chemical treatments, putting their emphasis on routine screening, early detection and manual removal.
The NPA appreciates and thanks iParenting for the excellent opportunities it provides us to respond to questions and to work cooperatively toward our mutual goal to help parents and children make safe decisions and win against head lice rather than the other way around. ""Because it's not about lice, it's about kids."""
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More Answers by this Expert
- How can I prevent my newborn from being infected with lice?
- My niece has continually had head lice for almost two months now and I am due to have my baby in about two weeks. Can my baby get lice from her holding him?
- What do I do to get rid of lice for good?
- My 8-year-old daughter has been invited to a slumber party. One of the girls invited had lice recently. Is it OK to let my daughter go?
- Are there certain times of the year that lice are more prevalent?