New Head Lice Mantra: "Screen, Detect, Remove, Protect"

In an Aug. 28 press release, the National Pediculosis Association (NPA) announced its new mantra for September, the 22nd annual National Head Lice Prevention Month - also known as the All Out Comb Out. The new mantra, "Screen, Detect, Remove, Protect!," is intended to remind parents that the best way to deal with head lice is not with dangerous pesticides, but by screening, detecting and removing lice and nits (lice eggs).

Pediculosis is the medical term for head lice. According to Healthline, the NPA was founded in 1983 and is comprised of doctors, school nurses, representatives of hospitals and county health departments, and parents. The primary purpose of the association is to educate parents and other individuals about lice and nits, including how to identify, treat and prevent them, with an emphasis on finding and removing nits. When laid by the female louse, the nit attaches itself to the hair shaft. As a public agency, the NPA disseminates publications and educational materials, provides expert consultation to schools, camps, and other organizations with a concentration on children and sponsors National Head Lice Month.

National Head Lice Prevention Month coincides with the start of the school year, when head lice outbreaks become more prevalent as youngster are in close contact with one another.

In promoting checking children's heads for lice, the NPA likens it to any other basic health care task: brushing teeth, washing hands, personal hygiene. The idea is to prevent problems rather than waiting for them to develop.

As a representative of the NPA, Deborah Altschuler said that parents and others who perform regular head checks will keep any head lice infestation manageable, saving both time and worry over the long haul. "But if you wait, the challenges associated with head lice can seem huge," she said. "Combing for lice and nits isn't just about removing them. It's also about being able to screen and assure yourself that you are free of them."