Kitchener & Oakville Shares Summer Camp Lice Prevention Tips

Lice Clinics of Canada – Kitchener & Oakville Shares Summer Camp Lice Prevention Tips

 

Ah, summer camp. Campfires, s’mores, swimming, and…head lice?

 

“Head lice will never take a vacation,” said Ben Silva, owner of Lice Clinics of Canada – Kitchener & Oakville. “Summer camps are the perfect place to spread head lice, even during these unprecedented times. Most kids will still come in close contact with other, playing together for extended periods of time.”

 

“No parent wants to get that call about head lice on their child,” Ben said. Here are a few things you can do to decrease the odds that your child gets lice at camp:

 

1. First and foremost, get a professional head check before camp starts. Make sure your child does not already have head lice before they leave for camp. Many children have lice for a few weeks before even knowing it. The reason for that is; there are not many symptoms outside of itching, which can take up to two weeks before symptoms such as itching to start. Check again when your child gets home. A professional check is best because lice can be difficult to accurately diagnose. Our clinic offers head checks for $25 ($10 for any additional family members) which is waived if lice are found and the child is treated in-clinic. It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.
2. Know your facts. Lice primarily spread through head-to-head contact. They don’t fly or jump. Head lice can’t survive very long off a human scalp (hence the name ‘head’ lice), so encourage your children to avoid head-to-head and hair-to-hair contact with anyone. This includes hugs, laying together and selfies.
3. Use lice prevention products such as Lice Clinics of Canada’s preventive spray, hair ties and shampoos. They are non-toxic, easy to apply, and serve as a lice repellent for your child. They can be used daily but especially for situations where there is a higher likelihood of transmission such as daycare, school, sleepovers or hanging with a friend you know has had it.
4. Make sure your children use their own combs, brushes, clips, hats, head bands, helmets, headphones and anything else that would go on their head. While it is pretty rare that lice spread through shared personal items, it can happen.
5. Lice can survive submerged in water for up to eight hours, so a swim will not kill them. Children should only use their own towels after swimming or showering.

 

Finally, if your child does end up with head lice, don’t panic or place blame. “You and your child didn’t do anything wrong,” Ben said. “Although there is no data for Canada, up to twelve million children under the age of 14 get head lice each year in the United States. It’s no different than catching the common cold—your child just got it from someone else.”

 

Getting rid of head lice is easier than ever, thanks to Lice Clinics of Canada’s Health Canada-cleared, AirAllé® medical device. AirAllé uses heated air to dehydrate lice and eggs and has been clinically proven to kill live lice and more than 99 percent of eggs (nits) in a single treatment. The service takes about 90-minutes and is guaranteed to be effective.

 

“When you come in for a head screening, and we find head lice or nits on your child, we can treat them on the spot, and you’ll leave our clinic lice-free after the 90-minutes treatment! We are so confident in our treatment process, we offer a 30-day lice-free guarantee!,” Ben said.

 

Lice Clinics of Canada – Kitchener & Oakville are located at 907 Frederick St., Kitchener and 323 Kerr St., in Oakville respectively. We are open seven days a week by appointment. Call 519-208-5423 or email info@liceclinicsontario.ca for more information or to schedule an appointment.