Can Chicken Lice Infest Humans?

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In recent years, the practice of adopting and raising backyard chickens has risen dramatically in popularity. Hatcheries nationwide have seen sharp increases in sales of baby chicks in 2020, to the tune of 500% of their previous year’s sales, as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps families home and motivates them to become more self-reliant.

 

But while new chicken caretakers typically anticipate the need for supplies like fencing or coops, some do not anticipate the high likelihood of their chickens becoming infested with chicken lice. That’s right—chickens can get lice! The seemingly sudden appearance of these parasites often has chicken owners worried that as they treat their flock, they may become infested by chicken lice themselves. Fortunately, there is no risk of humans or pets becoming infested by chicken lice. Read on to find out why.

 

Chicken Lice vs. Human Head Lice

While both humans and chickens can get lice, the physiological features, preferred diet and habitat of these insects differ vastly. Chicken lice reside solely on chickens, as well as wild birds, which can transfer the parasite to domestic flocks. Chicken lice may live specifically in the feathers, around the feet, or on the head. Depending on the species (there are more than one species of chicken lice) their diet may consist of their avian host’s feathers or dead skin. By comparison, human head lice (one of three species that can infest humans) live exclusively on the scalp and feed on human blood. These differences between chicken lice and head lice mean that humans are not at risk of chicken lice infestation.

 

“We have had several customers over the years contact us, worried about catching chicken lice,” says Sonia Watt, owner of Lice Clinics of America – Texas Lice Removal, which has locations in College Station, Tomball and The Woodlands. “They’re taking care of their own chickens, or they have a friend or a relative with chickens, and they start feeling itchy after petting or handling them. Sometimes they coincidentally have head lice and that’s what’s bothering them, but in every instance, they do not have chicken lice.”

 

If you feel itchy after handling chickens, it may actually come from bird mites. Bird mites are a parasite that commonly infests chickens, and unlike chicken lice, they do feed on humans as well. If their bird host leaves its nest or coop, the mites may migrate into homes via cracks and crevices in the building’s structure. They seek out human hosts to feed on once they move in. While mites can’t live on humans or inside homes for long, they can absolutely be a nuisance while they are alive.

 

If you or your family members have itchy scalps or sensations of crawling on the head, pay a visit to Lice Clinics of America – Texas Lice Removal for a professional head check. Our trained experts will be able to confidently identify if what you are experiencing is a case of head lice. If your head check is found to be positive for lice, we’ll be ready to help you with a range of treatment options. Lice Clinics of America clinics exclusively use AirAllé, an FDA-cleared heated-air medical device to safely and effectively treat head lice. In just one hour at our clinic, you and your loved ones can be lice-free.

 

“We always feel that it’s better to get a head screening with us at the clinic than to wait around and see, and later discover that you’ve had head lice for a while,” says Sonia. “If we discover head lice during your screening, we can take care of it all in one go!”

 

Lice Clinics of America has successfully treated more than 950,000 cases of head lice. The company has more than 265 clinics in 20 countries, making it the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America – Texas Lice Removal has three locations. College Station is located at 4444 Carter Creek Parkway, Suite 101, Bryan, Texas 77802. Tomball is located at 11601 Spring Cypress, Suite C, Tomball, TX 77377. The Woodlands is located at 2219 Sawdust Road, Suite 2003, The Woodlands, TX 77380. Each location is open seven days a week by appointment. Call 979-481-6144 for College Station, 832-648-619 for Tomball, or 832-957-0373 for The Woodlands or visit https://texasliceremovalclinic.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Chemicals in Lice-Treatment Products Linked to Health Problems in Children

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A study in Occupational and Environmental Medicine reports what many have feared for decades—that “exposure to certain pyrethroids, at environmental levels, may negatively affect neurobehavioral development by six years of age.” Pyrethroids are a class of chemicals used in insecticides, including the most popular head-lice medications.

 

For the study, the researchers measured levels of five pyrethroid metabolites in the urine of women in the early stages of pregnancy and, later, in their 6-year-olds to see if there was a link between being exposed to the chemical in utero and childhood, and behavior that could suggest neurodevelopmental damage.

 

“Pyrethroids are neurotoxins, says clinic owner Sonia Watt, owner of Lice Clinics of America – Texas Lice Removal. “They work by disrupting the nervous systems of insects, killing them in the process. Health advocates have for years questioned the medical wisdom of putting neurotoxins on children’s scalps.”

 

Pyrethroid Chemicals in Lice Products: Study Results

There were three pyrethroid metabolites chemicals in lice products that showed up most often in the urine of mothers and their children: trans-DCCA, cis-DBCA, and cis-DCCA. The conclusion of the study was that “Overall, children with the highest levels of metabolites in their urine were three times more likely to have abnormal behavior than those with lower levels. As a result, the researchers concluded that pyrethroids might alter neurochemical signaling in the brain.”

 

This follows a 2015 study in Environmental Health that found that “Pyrethroid pesticides cause abnormalities in the dopamine system and produce an ADHD phenotype in animal models, with effects accentuated in males versus females. However, data regarding behavioral effects of pyrethroid exposure in children is limited.”

 

While neither study proves a medical link between pyrethroids and behavioral change in children, there is certainly reason for concern. Pyrethroids remain the first line of defense against head lice recommended by many doctors. This is changing, but not necessarily due to health concerns. Multiple studies performed in recent years have found that most head lice in the United States and other countries are developing resistance to pyrethroids, so these neurotoxins that parents are putting on their children’s heads are losing effectiveness.

 

New Recommended Treatments for Head Lice

The medical world is starting to shift gears. In 2015 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated its guidance on head lice treatment as new products were introduced after the AAP’s 2010 report.  The new report was published in the journal Pediatrics, and it highlights some exciting new developments in the battle against head lice, including the revolutionary AirAllé medical device.

 

“The ideal treatment of lice should be safe, free of toxic chemicals, readily available without a prescription, easy to use, effective, and inexpensive,” the AAP said.  The article notes that the overall spending on lice treatment has risen to nearly $1 billion annually, with as many as 12 million children contracting head lice each year.

 

The AAP lists the AirAllé medical device as an effective lice treatment device: “The AirAllé (Larada Sciences, Salt Lake City, UT) is a custom-built machine that uses one 30-minute application of hot air in an attempt to desiccate the lice.” It uses no chemicals and instead dehydrates lice and eggs. Clinical studies found that the AirAllé kills live lice and more than 99 percent of eggs in a single session. In addition to being chemical-free, the treatment eliminates the need for weeks of nitpicking to make sure all eggs are removed.

 

The AirAllé medical device is available exclusively at Lice Clinics of America treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America is the world’s largest and fastest-growing network of professional lice clinics, with hundreds of clinics in some 20 countries.

 

Lice Clinics of America has successfully treated more than 950,000 cases of head lice. The company has more than 265 clinics in 20 countries, making it the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America – Texas Lice Removal has three locations. College Station is located at 4444 Carter Creek Parkway, Suite 101, Bryan, Texas 77802. Tomball is located at 11601 Spring Cypress, Suite C, Tomball, TX 77377. The Woodlands is located at 2219 Sawdust Road, Suite 2003, The Woodlands, TX 77380. Each location is open seven days a week by appointment. Call 979-481-6144 for College Station, 832-648-619 for Tomball, or 832-957-0373 for The Woodlands or visit https://texasliceremovalclinic.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Why You Need A Lice Comb

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When it comes to tackling a case of head lice, one recommendation you’ll find over and over by lice experts is to do combing. Combing can serve as both a confirmation of whether someone has head lice, as well as a way to treat an infestation by physically removing the bugs and nits.

 

“If you are going to treat lice at home, you will definitely need to comb out the lice and nits, even if you are using some sort of topical solution,” says Wade Huntsman, owner of Lice Clinics of America – Colorado.

 

Many tools known as lice combs are available on the market today to aid in the combing process. But is a dedicated comb for head lice truly necessary? What differentiates a lice comb from regular hair combs?

 

Hair Combs vs. Lice Combs

Typically, an adult louse grows to the size of a sesame seed. The eggs (also called nits) that they lay are, of course, even smaller. Because the size of head lice and their eggs is so small, the gaps between an average hair comb’s teeth are just too big to effectively catch them. The plastic material that most hair combs are made of is also too smooth to “grip” any nits and bugs enough to remove them from the hair.

 

By comparison, lice combs have teeth that are precisely spaced so lice and eggs of all sizes are unable to pass through. Most lice combs have durable metal teeth that often have grooves specifically designed to help the comb “grip” and remove any lice and eggs that are found. This is especially important in the removal of lice eggs, which are fixated so strongly to the hair shafts that the only way to remove them is by forcefully sliding them for the full length of the hair strand. Without the features of a dedicated lice comb, a hair comb will have little to no effect on an infestation of lice.

 

Even with a dedicated lice comb, effectively removing all lice and nits can be a challenge for someone who has never done it before.

 

“People come in all the time to our clinics saying, ‘I’ve been combing every day for weeks, but we still have lice,’” Huntsman says. “There is certainly a technique to using a lice comb effectively. While most clients prefer us to do the treatments for them, we are happy to instruct them on how to properly use a lice comb if they decide to self-treat at home.”

 

The Lice Clinics of America lice comb adheres to the standards required of a lice comb to be effective. Our professional technicians use the comb in all of our lice treatment clinics worldwide. You can purchase a Lice Clinics of America lice comb for home use from Lice Clinics of America – Colorado.

 

Lice Clinics of America has successfully treated more than 675,000 cases of head lice. The company has more than 265 clinics in 20 countries, making it the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America – Colorado is located at 300 S. Jamaica Court, Suite 310, Aurora, CO 80014. The Aurora location is open seven days a week by appointment. Call 720-499-1578 or visit https://liceclinicscolorado.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

 

The Head Lice Life Cycle

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If you have an infestation of head lice in your household, it can feel impossible to get rid of it. Most “natural” home remedies, prescription treatments, and over-the-counter products are ineffective and will simply prolong your frustration. In order to learn how lice spread and how to get rid of them, you’ll need to understand the lice life cycle. Read on to learn more.

From Egg to Nymph

A head louse’s life begins as an egg, also called a nit. The adult female louse lays the egg and attaches it to a human hair strand using an exceptionally strong glue-like substance. Thanks to this “glue,” the nit will remain on the hair throughout all kinds of bathing, swimming, and hairstyling. Lice attach nits ¼ of an inch or less from the scalp so that it can be kept at an ideal temperature before hatching; that means nits farther than ¼ inch from the scalp most likely have already hatched or are not viable.

 

After approximately eight days, the egg hatches into a nymph. The nymph louse is not yet mature enough to reproduce. The nymph will feed on the host’s blood on a daily basis as it grows and undergoes three molts. Each molt—or shedding of the outer skin—takes approximately three days. This means that it only takes about nine days for a baby louse to become an adult louse!

 

At Lice Clinics of America – Texas Lice Removal, which has locations in College Station, Tomball, and The Woodlands, we professionally train our technicians to spot lice and nits in the hair and determine whether an active infestation is present. While it’s helpful to periodically check the hair for lice at home, distinguishing nits from dandruff and viable nits from empty or dead nits can be challenging. To save yourself the hassle, schedule a professional head check with us by calling 979-481-6144 for College Station, 832-648-619 for Tomball, or 832-957-0373 for The Woodlands.

 

Continuing the Cycle

Once the louse finishes its third and final molt, it is then ready to mate and lay eggs. Female lice are capable of laying up to eight eggs per day for about three days, up until they die. That’s as many as 24 eggs per female louse. No wonder a case of head lice can be so hard to get rid of!

 

When it comes to transferring to a new host, head lice move quickly. They primarily spread to new hosts when there is direct head-to-head or hair-to-hair contact. As this contact occurs, usually during photos, hugs, or sitting and leaning against another person, lice can crawl from head to head in a matter of seconds. It’s easy to see how lice can spread rapidly between kids at school, at summer camp, and even at home.

 

Treating Head Lice

If you or your loved one has come down with a case of head lice, don’t panic—there are safe, quick, and effective treatments available. At Lice Clinics of America – Texas Lice Removal, you can be completely lice-free in an hour after a professional treatment with the AirAllé device. FDA-cleared and safe for young children, the AirAllé device uses controlled heated air delivered to the scalp to kill over 99% of lice and eggs. With no involvement of harmful pesticides or toxic chemicals, the AirAllé device is a safe and effective method for treating a lice infestation.

 

About Lice Clinics of America

Lice Clinics of America is the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers, with more than 950,000 successful treatments performed in 265 clinics across 20 countries. Lice Clinics of America – Texas Lice Removal has three locations. College Station is located at 4444 Carter Creek Parkway, Suite 101, Bryan, Texas 77802. Tomball is located at 11601 Spring Cypress, Suite C, Tomball, TX 77377. The Woodlands is located at 2219 Sawdust Road, Suite 2003, The Woodlands, TX 77380. Each location is open seven days a week by appointment. Call 979-481-6144 for College Station, 832-648-619 for Tomball, or 832-957-0373 for The Woodlands or visit https://texasliceremovalclinic.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

 

Why Over-the-Counter Head Lice Products Won’t Work

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When a child has head lice, many parents go into panic mode and will do almost anything to get rid of the lice as quickly as possible. After grabbing the first lice treatment they see at the drugstore, they race home to put a stop to the head lice infesting their child. Sadly, weeks later they are often still combing out lice eggs.

There are three problems with this treatment approach. Lice Clinics of America – Texas Lice Removal, which services College Station, Tomball and The Woodlands, owner Sonia Watt explains why:

 

“For starters, a majority of over-the-counter (OTC) products don’t work anymore, at least not in the United States,” says Watt. “According to the website ‘Beyond Pesticides,’ virtually all lice in the United States have developed resistance to the OTC and prescription shampoos containing the toxic chemical Permethrin. Several recent studies have confirmed the widespread resistance of head lice to retail products.”

 

“This isn’t really controversial,” said John Clark in a 2014 article titled “Head Lice Growing Resistant to Standard Meds.” Clark is a professor of environmental toxicology and chemistry at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and co-author of one of the studies of resistant head lice. “This is a problem we’ve been showing in development over a period of about 20 years. But our new work now shows that head lice are now almost 100 percent [resistant]. That means there’s an awful lot of resistant insects out there in the U.S. and elsewhere.”

 

“The second reason to avoid commercial lice-removal products is that they may not be safe. Permethrin is a neurotoxin that kills lice by shutting down the insect’s central nervous system,” Watt says. “Lice-removal products have been deemed safe when used as directed, but overuse is common. Panicked parents often over-apply the product, and it may cause serious health problems.”

Richard Clapp, an environmental health expert and professor emeritus at Boston University, has said that Permethrin, especially when combined with other problematic chemicals, can cause seizures and, down the road, behavioral problems. In a 2009 memo, the EPA classified Permethrin as “likely to be carcinogenic to humans” in some conditions.

 

Environmentally relevant levels of pyrethroids—the class of pesticide that includes Permethrin—are also common in some household insecticide products. This means that adding lice shampoo, even the amount directed, to the level of pyrethroids already in a home can overexpose children to the pesticide.

 

“Finally, the third reason for thinking twice before using OTC lice-removal products is that they are not ovicidal, meaning, they don’t kill lice eggs, or nits, which is a real problem in the battle against head lice,” says Watt.

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pyrethrins (another type of pyrethroids) can only kill live lice, not unhatched eggs (nits). Nits are affixed to hair shafts with a very strong glue-like substance and must be manually removed.

 

“If every nit is not removed, you’ll simply get a new case of head lice when the eggs hatch a week or so after the treatment is applied,” continues Watt.

 

Fortunately, there’s a pesticide-free alternative to lice-removal medications. It’s a medical device (rather than a shampoo), known as the AirAllé device, that uses heated air to dehydrate and kill head lice and 99.2 percent of lice eggs. It’s been clinically proven to be safe and effective and has been cleared for use by the FDA. Treatments using this device are available exclusively at Lice Clinics of America treatment centers throughout the United States and around the world. In most cases, head lice are removed in a single 60- to 90-minute treatment, and the treatment is guaranteed to be effective by the clinic.

 

Lice Clinics of America has successfully treated more than 950,000 cases. The company has more than 265 clinics in 20 countries, making it the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America – Texas Lice Removal has three locations. College Station is located at 4444 Carter Creek Parkway, Suite 101, Bryan, Texas 77802. Tomball is located at 11601 Spring Cypress, Suite C, Tomball, TX 77377. The Woodlands is located at 2219 Sawdust Road, Suite 2003, The Woodlands, TX 77380. Each location is open seven days a week by appointment. Call 979-481-6144 for College Station, 832-648-619 for Tomball, or 832-957-0373 for The Woodlands or visit https://texasliceremovalclinic.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Head Lice and Pop Culture

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From the staff at Lice Clinics of America – Texas Lice Removal

 

Hollywood is full of glitz and glam. Not all of the scenes in your favorite movie are accurate though. This is especially true when it comes to scenes about head lice. Many media perpetuate folklore especially when it comes to home treatment remedies to cure their lice infestation. Let’s take a look at some of these clips and debunk those Hollywood representations.

MOVIES

I Don’t Know How She Does It: https://youtu.be/jawZFND4Bfc

In this clip, the loving mother gets a message from a trusted friend that her daughter has head lice. She immediately becomes itchy and freaked out.

The mind is a powerful thing. The second the word ‘lice’ is mentioned the entire room erupts in scratching behaviors. “We’ve had many a client come in for a head check because they’re convinced their itchy scalp is because of head lice,” says Sonia, clinic owner. In fact, only half of the people who have head lice have itchy heads because the itchiness is an allergic reaction to the lice saliva—and not everyone is allergic to it.

Thankfully this mother seems like she is going to take all the proper steps and make sure her entire family is checked. This is the best way to ensure you can take care of it once and for all!

The Switch: https://youtu.be/gkEsrZpCdOo

In this clip, the mother has a set list of rules for her friend in regard to eradicating the head lice. She tells him to run to the nearest store and pick up a plethora of supplies and gives out instructions on home care.

One of the falsehoods they portray is the notion that all soft objects need to be bagged up for several weeks. In reality, head lice are parasites that require the host in order to survive. They cannot live on inanimate objects. Simply put, there is no need to put items in bags.  The minute lice leave the head, they lose their lifeline and will begin to die. The chances for a louse to navigate back on to a head are close to nil. If you are feeling anxious, you can throw the items in the dryer for 30 minutes.

Another falsehood is that prescription medication is effective. These medications are full of pesticides and harmful chemicals.  Furthermore, they are unable to penetrate the eggshell, so the nits survive the chemical treatment.  The adults also show high resistance to these pyrethroids so unless every tiny egg is combed out and every louse extracted, you are looking at an instant re-infestation.

Speaking of eggs, did you see how large they were in the child’s hair in this clip? In reality, eggs are about the size of a sesame seed.

All in all, though, it was a cute clip of a man taking care of his son’s head lice!

 

TELEVISION

The Office: https://youtu.be/k2Wxx6O3nhk

The television series The Office depicts the humorous side of head lice.  In this episode, the entire office is in a meeting deciding the best strategy to get rid of these little bugs, but they are not all on the same page!

Erin has a very calm sense about how to tackle the problem, but Dwight can be seen in a hazmat suit. Erin takes the smart approach to be calm but offers up some advice that may not be as effective as it seems.

When Dwight suggests using lye to get rid of the lice (side note: extremely bad idea), Erin chimes in that all they need is mayonnaise. Mayo is one of the more common home remedies that we hear clients tried to no avail. Lice have spiracles along their abdomen, which are openings through which the insect breathes.  It takes many hours for mayo to harden enough to clog those tiny spaces.  The mayonnaise also does not kill the eggs so without extracting every single one, you are right back to where you started and have only made egg salad.

Keep the mayo for the kid’s lunches. Here at Lice Clinics of America – Texas Lice Removal, we have a safe and effective treatment that not only kills all of the live activity but the eggs as well.  This will also save you from ending up with a shaved head like Meredith!

Schitt’s Creek: https://youtu.be/5UZ5fbln0mE

The scene opens with Johnny Rose approaching his adult daughter and telling her that he got an email from her school about a lice outbreak in her class. What ensues is back and forth accusations from her dramatic brother after she’s shown scratching and denying why she’s scratching. Johnny asks her to go to the store to “get something and take care of that! I need to change the sheets!” It’s a furiously fast 90-second scene that ends with Alexis emphatically saying, “ugh that’s the last time I take a pity selfie with Kelsey!”

Remember to be careful with your selfie picture taking! Lice spread through head-to-head contact.

Teachers: https://youtu.be/sIOaE0kV46g

Our last clip is just a silly scene of teachers overreacting to their school’s head lice infestation. It is extremely humorous and shows how many people feel when they hear the word lice! Don’t let your child become one of the zombies!

Lice Clinics of America has successfully treated more than 675,000 cases of head lice. The company has more than 265 clinics in 20 countries, making it the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America – Texas Lice Removal has three locations. College Station is located at 4444 Carter Creek Parkway, Suite 101, Bryan, Texas 77802. Tomball is located at 11601 Spring Cypress, Suite C, Tomball, TX 77377. The Woodlands is located at 2219 Sawdust Road, Suite 2003, The Woodlands, TX 77380. Each location is open seven days a week by appointment. Call 979-481-6144 for College Station, 832-648-619 for Tomball, or 832-957-0373 for The Woodlands or visit https://texasliceremovalclinic.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

summer

Kid-Friendly Summer Activities in Bryan, TX

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Summer is an exciting time for kids because they get to do fun things, stay up late, sleep in late and have a stress-free few months of fun in the sun. Here are 7 fun summer activities around Bryan, TX

  1. Beautiful Lake Bryan Park

Lakes are a popular location during summer and Lake Bryan Park offers fishing, hiking, mountain biking, swimming or camping. Have a boat? Take it out for some water skiing, wakeboarding or inner tubing. The nearby Lakeside Icehouse offers food, drinks, and live music. How fun does that sound? Make sure you stick around for the beautiful sunset, you’ll have a perfect view.

  1. Summer Reading Program At The Library

We can get our children reading with us at the Bryan+College Station Public Library summer reading program. It’s for kids and adults. The library system offers book clubs, computer classes, and other events during the summer. If you or your kids are book worms, this might be fun.

  1. First Friday in Downtown Bryan

Come down to Downtown Bryan on the first Friday of every month for some entertainment. Watch fun street performers, enjoy live music and get some grub. There are food trucks and sit down restaurants to enjoy while watching the performances. It provides a wonderful atmosphere on a summer evening.

  1. Local Theaters

Some days in Texas are just too hot to be outside. That’s when an air-conditioned theater sounds pretty good. Whether you go to a movie theater or a live theater, it might be a relaxing way to cool off and entertain the kids. Stage Center is Brazos Valley’s oldest full-range theater and The Theater Company of Bryan-College Station offers musicals. If you love theater, this can be a good way to share your passion with your children.

  1. Grand Station Entertainment

Grand Station Entertainment is a fun-filled family center with bowling, laser tag, and mini golf. All fun activities for families. They also have a banquet room for birthday parties and a food court with tasty dining options. You could spend all day in this air-conditioned fun zone.

  1. Jumping World Trampoline Park

What kid wouldn’t love a warehouse full of trampolines? Kids love this place and it’s a great way to reward your kids for good grades during the school year. It’s great exercise as well. This is a fun way to be active and laugh with friends. https://www.experiencebcs.com/listing/jumping-world-trampoline-park/1861/

  1. Escape Room BCS

One of the fun attractions at Aggieland is an escape room. This is a fun activity where your group placed in a room and have to use clues to figure out how to escape. You’ve got to work fast to beat the record time. Everyone should try one of these at least once. It’s a lot of fun.

No matter what you do this summer, we hope you get some good bonding with your children this summer and have a safe and memorable summer break.

Parenting

What Is Your Parenting Style?

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Parenting is no picnic, although it can be at times. It’s hard work but also the most precious gift on earth. According to verywell.com, scientists have come up with four different parenting styles and the effects they have on children. Let’s find out what your parenting style is!

Authoritarian Parenting

Authoritarian is a very intense parenting style. Many rules, all about obedience, and all about punishments. It’s the parent’s way or the highway. They hardly ever take the child’s feelings into consideration and they aren’t very warm or empathetic toward their children.

Authoritarian parents don’t leave room for any exceptions. Their children will follow their rules without explanation and that’s final. They don’t care to negotiate or reason with their children.

Authoritarian parents may use punishments instead of discipline. So rather than teaching a child how to make better choices, they’re often focused on making a child suffer for his or her mistakes.  Their children may feel like they are never good enough.

Children of authoritarian parents tend to follow rules much of the time but unfortunately, develop self-esteem issues and may grow to be hostile or aggressive. These kids may also become good liars because they taught themselves how to lie their way out of punishments.

Authoritative Parenting

Authoritative parents care about their child’s well-being and make an effort to create a healthy balance of discipline for bad behavior and praise for good behavior. They value having a positive relationship with their child and offer guidance in their everyday life. They explain their reasons behind their rules so that their children understand them instead of resenting and fearing them. They try their hardest to always take their child’s feelings into consideration.

These types of parents establish clear rules but they also allow for reasonable exceptions to rules. They believe in using consequences that teach valuable lessons and help shape their children into good people. They use positive discipline to prevent behavior problems and to reinforce good behavior. They are usually all about reward systems to praise good behavior.

Children raised in an authoritative household turn out to be happy and successful. They are more likely to be good at making decisions and evaluating outcomes on their own. They are usually good in social situations and grow up to be hard working.

Researchers have found that kids who have authoritative parents usually become responsible adults who feel comfortable expressing their opinions.

Permissive Parenting

Permissive parents are inconsistent and don’t stick to their word. They set rules but don’t enforce them. They don’t put effort into giving out consequences and they don’t interfere in their kid’s life very much. Permissive parents are lenient and have a hard being firm. They rarely give out consequences and when they do, they usually give into begging.

Permissive parents are a friend to their child, not a parent. They hang out with their kids and encourage them to talk to them but rarely discourage bad behavior and poor decisions.

Kids who grow up with permissive parents tend to struggle in school and might have a lower academic level than their classmates. They may also have behavioral issues because of the fact that they were never disciplined and they feel they can walk all over teachers like they do with their parents. They may also report sadness and are at a higher risk for health problems, like obesity, because permissive parents struggle to limit junk food intake and good habits. They have more cavities and higher cholesterol.

Uninvolved Parenting

Uninvolved parenting is pretty much what it sounds like. They are very uninvolved in their child’s life and it may be intentional or unintentional based on mental illness or substance abuse. They don’t care to ask their child about their day or get involved with their homework or schoolwork. They don’t know where their child is half the time or who they’re with. They don’t set many rules or curfews. They don’t spend time with their children very much and are extremely hands-off.

Children of uninvolved parents basically raise themselves, so they become strangers to nurturing and discipline. They are neglected and their basic needs are often not met, which can be detrimental to them.

Parents are often uninvolved because of their lack of knowledge of child development. Taking parenting classes can help permissive parents learn the basics of good parenting. A parent might be uninvolved when they are overwhelmed with work, life, bills and other responsibilities.

When parents are uninvolved, children struggle with their self-esteem. They tend to perform poorly in school and exhibit frequent behavior problems. They also rank low in happiness and feel alone.

Conclusion

Which type of parent are you? You may not fit into one character or you may hold attributes of each type of parenting style.

“The studies are clear, however, that authoritative parenting is the best style. And there are always things you can do to become a more authoritative parent. “

Putting constant effort into building a positive relationship with your child and creating a healthy balance of discipline and positive praise can lead to being an outstanding parent. Over time, your child will reap the benefits of authoritative parenting.

lice removal

Lice Removal: We’re All In This Together

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It seems like there are always debates going on around us. Whether it be about political matters, religious matters or parenting matters. Everyone always seems to know how to parent better than you, right? Or at least they think you do. Let’s agree that every situation is different and as long as you are doing what you know is right for you family, we’ll cheer you on. Parenting is no joke. It’s hard work, and we’re all in this together. We are especially there for when your child gets head lice. We have lice treatment for all. And we do, in fact, know what’s best when it comes to lice removal.

It’s Nobody’s Fault

That leads us to our second point: don’t place blame on anyone if your child gets head lice, not even yourself. Please do not waste your time being upset at a child’s parent for not keeping their child at home and please do not get upset at the school for not being strict enough with their lice policies. These things happen and it’s nobody’s fault. We get it, head lice suck. Resentment and frustration can arise when feeling like parents aren’t treating it seriously. In our experience, most of the time parents’ frustration is rooted at the fact that they don’t know how to begin to treat their child’s head lice. Lice treatment is difficult these days.

Lice Removal Is Our Specialty

That’s where we come in to help. We are confident that we have the best lice removal treatment on the market and when you are frustrated, scared and overwhelmed, we can take it all away. It is our hope that we can eliminate the stigma that comes along with head lice. Since it has nothing to do with cleanliness or hygiene, it is unfair to look down on a parent for “allowing” their child to get head lice. They had nothing to do with it. Their child probably got it from another child. One of our mottos as parents is that we’re on in this together.

Give Us a Call

Don’t hesitate to call us if you need lice removal tips or want to know more about or lice treatments. We are proud of our lice removal resources and we’d love to share them with you. Give us a call and we’ll answer any questions for you. Schedule an appointment to get treated with surety. Check out our treatments page to learn about our amazing lice treatments.

head-lice-checklist

A Head Lice Device That Is FDA-Cleared? Check!

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Lice Clinics of America has been gaining attention for our revolutionary AirAllé® head lice device since 2014. That’s because we have the only FDA-cleared device on the market that kills lice through dehydration and doesn’t contain harmful chemicals. That’s important to any parent. The device is 99% effective and when paired with our topical rinse and comb-out, it’s the best lice treatment you can possibly receive. It’s been successful in over 220,000 cases and that number continues to grow as the number of outbreaks in the U.S. continues to grow.

An FDA-clearance means rigorous testing and analyzing were done to ensure safety and efficacy to the public. That FDA-clearance is a huge indicator of a safe and trusted product. That’s how you know the AirAllé® lice treatment will leave you relieved to be done with lice.

We Check For Head Lice

No sure if your child has head lice? No problem. We can check for you. At Lice Clinics of America, College Station, we offer thorough head checks which is important to make sure everyone in the family who has lice is being properly treated. We are experts at every stage of the lice treatment process, including the head checks. We are confident in detecting and eliminating lice in every case and we treat each patient with care. Making sure the whole family gets checked is worth your while to get it all taken care of at once. The only thing worse than having head lice, is having it twice. If there is a head lice outbreak at school or at summer camp or somewhere you child may have been, a head check is recommended.

If you need head lice treatment, we’ll check your head to detect the infestation level and then treat you with our safe and effective AirAllé® device. We’ll even make the process fun. Give us a call today.