It’s that time of year when children bemoan the loss of their summer freedom and parents all across America can be seen jumping, and screaming for joy as kids head back to the classrooms. For many, this is the week that school begins for another exciting year; and, truthfully, it only takes about a half of a second after your child arrives at school for him to find his friends and forget all about the dread he was feeling this morning at the bus stop. Those all-important relationships that were put on hold while families traveled and spent time at camp are instantly re-bonded, class schedules are nailed down, and new friendships begin.
It really is an exciting time of the year, but did you know that your children and their teachers are not the only ones entering schools in the fall? It’s true. For many children across the country, the beginning of school also marks the time when pests like bed bugs and lice have the opportunity to rapidly spread from person to person. With all those little bodies packed into classrooms and lunchrooms, those little parasites have plenty of opportunity to move from child to child and then from home to home.
This is the perfect time for you as parents to remind your children to be aware of lice and the ways to avoid them. There are actually three different types of human lice, but the most common problem for school-aged children rests with head lice. These little parasites can easily spread once school is in session because children will often share hats, scarves, brushes, combs, jackets and other apparel that can contain the lice or the eggs (nits).
The adult lice are very fast, but can be spotted by lifting the hair and looking, particularly in the crown and around the ears. The nits will attach to the base of the hair shaft near the scalp. They are very tiny and difficult to see, but close examination will reveal these opaque casings. Aside from warning your child to avoid sharing clothing and personal care items with friends, it is wise to check your child for lice and nits once a week or so during the fall months in order to catch an infestation as soon as possible and avoid spreading these dreadful pests.
One of the most stressful things to deal with is finding a bug on your child and not knowing for sure if it is lice or another pest. It is difficult to know where to turn for an answer. Here at Adam’s Pest Control we can identify the bug for you free of charge. Simply snap a clear photo of the bug you discovered and email it to us and we will quickly and accurately identify it for you. Our pest identification service is simple and free!
