Lice, scabies, and pinworms – here’s what you need to know!
Summer holidays are coming to an end, and like a certain popular commercial, some parents may be jumping for joy! As parents load up the shopping carts piled high with binders, jeans, lunch bags, and two pairs of runners – they’re not even thinking about the ‘other’ expenditures that back to school entails.
The fact is, that besides coming home with fridge art, most children will come home from school this year with head lice! If you’re not feeling your head crawling yet, here’s some data to consider from the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS; Feb. 2018):
‘Head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) are a persistent and easily communicable cause of infestations, particularly in school-aged children [1][2]. Unlike body lice, head lice are not a primary health hazard, a sign of poor hygiene or a vector for disease [3][4], but they are a common societal problem [2] and relatively expensive to treat. The annual cost of treating head lice in the United States is estimated to be at least US$500 million [5].’
Pests are expensive & can be a health hazard
Head lice infections are not only expensive, they’re complicated to eradicate and parents need to be wary of the extremely toxic chemicals in the popular over the counter treatments. These treatments are categorized as insecticides.
For example, from the CPS site, they say the following:
‘Both pyrethrins and permethrin have minimal percutaneous absorption and favourable safety profiles [9]. To minimize exposure elsewhere on the body to a topical insecticide, do not sit a child in the bath to rinse hair. Instead, protect the skin with towels and rinse well, using cool water.’
If you have treatments still hanging around from previous years, check the ingredients carefully! Prior to these new lice treatments, Lindane had been approved for use previously, however, DO NOT continue to use it if it’s still in your bathroom cupboard!
Lice are getting tougher to control
Read further (CPS):
‘Lindane is no longer considered acceptable therapy for head lice because of the potential risks for neurotoxicity and bone marrow suppression following percutaneous absorption [8][17]. The Food and Drug Administration in the USA has issued periodic advisories concerning the use of lindane- containing products for the treatment of lice and scabies. Neurological side effects have been reported in people who used lindane correctly, although the most serious outcomes, including death and hospitalizations, occurred after multiple applications or oral ingestion.’
Yikes! How many of us have already been exposed to Lindane? I hope none of you need to deal with this issue, but it’s good to know that homoeopathy provides safe, effective and quick treatment for lice, scabies, pinworms, parasites and a host of other creepy, crawly things that you and your family may become exposed to as kids head back to the classroom.
A safe and gentle alternative
There are a variety of extremely effective homoeopathic remedies and treatments available. Your treatment plan will depend on a variety of indicators, including personal history and health status before any treatment is offered. This plan is always tailored specifically to you and/or your family’s needs.
Homoeopathic Medicines such as Staphysagria and Apis Mel may be indicated in treating cases of lice.
It’s a relief to know that you can send the kids off on their first day of school – worry free – because there are options to prevent and/or treat all of these highly contagious childhood illnesses and crawly ‘nuisances’ safely and effectively.
Always consult with a professional homeopathic practitioner before using any Homoeopathic Medicines. Dr. Kumar Belgaumkar, DMS, HD is Homoeopathic Practitioner and is a member of the Manitoba Homeopathic Association. He’s been practicing for 17 years in Winnipeg, Manitoba. For more information how how homoeopathy can help you, please contact him at The Winnipeg Homoeopathic Clinic or call: (204) 799-2962 or email: [email protected].
This article is for information purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition.*
