Head lice and nits are very common in young children and their families. They do not have anything to do with dirty hair and are picked up by head-to-head contact.
Lice and nits can be removed by wet combing. You should try this method first.
You can buy a special fine-toothed comb (detection comb) online or from pharmacies to remove head lice and nits.
There may be instructions on the pack, but usually you:
- wash hair with ordinary shampoo
- apply lots of conditioner (any conditioner will do)
- comb the whole head of hair, from the roots to the ends
It usually takes about 10 minutes to comb short hair, and 20 to 30 minutes for long or curly hair.
Chicken Pox
Chickenpox is common and mostly affects children, but you can get it at any age. It usually gets better by itself after 1 to 2 weeks without needing to see a GP.
Before or after the rash appears, you might also get:
- a high temperature
- aches and pains, and generally feeling unwell
- loss of appetite
Chickenpox is very itchy and can make children feel miserable, even if they do not have many spots.
Measles
Measles is an infection that spreads very easily and can cause serious problems in some people. Measles usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later. Some people may also get small spots in their mouth.
The first symptoms of measles include:
- a high temperature
- a runny or blocked nose
- sneezing
- a cough
- red, sore, watery eyes