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Head Lice Prevention Tips for Back-To-School
It’s that time of year again when kids are back in school, and they are excited to see and share things with their friends, classmates, and teachers. While sharing is commonly a good thing, we must be careful in the spread of germs and easily communicable diseases like head lice.
As September is National Head Lice Prevention Month, it’s a good time to take a little extra notice when practicing self-care and hygiene routines with your children. Head lice is the second most common communicable disease next to the common cold and is usually more rampant at the start of the school year, so it’s important to know the facts to help prevent the spread of head lice.
Head lice is 97% spread through direct head-to-head contact.
Here are some head lice prevention tips that are recommended to keep you and your family lice-free:
- Don’t share brushes, combs, scarves, hats, helmets, towels, pillows, ponytail holders, or other various head or hair coverings with others.
- Place outdoor apparel like jackets or hoodies inside zipped backpacks or bags at school.
- Keep personal items away from community piles.
- Avoid trying on community hats, costumes, etc. at school events or in public places likes retail stores.
- Bring your own headphones.
- Take a lint roller with you to public places that can’t be cleaned rapidly like movie theaters or airplanes to remove anything from headrests.
- Take your own pillow and sleeping bag to sleepovers.
- Perform a weekly head check so that you find lice early and avoid spreading to others.
Having lice can be very annoying and a struggle to deal with, but by utilizing these prevention tips you can reduce the risk and keep yourself and your family lice free.
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About SIHF Healthcare
SIHF Healthcare operates a network of over 30 health centers across 12 Illinois counties with 160 medical providers who deliver comprehensive healthcare services including: adult, family, women’s health, pediatrics, dental services for children, behavioral health, and population health services. As one of the largest Federally Qualified Health Center networks in the country, SIHF Healthcare is devoted to leading individuals and communities to their healthiest lifestyle regardless of their ability to pay. For more information or to find the nearest provider, visit www.sihf.org.