Costco Connection - August 2009

concussions, as does the athlete.

Parents also need to watch children for several days or a week, and maybe have them stay home from school. “When in doubt, scan,” Gioia says. “But we also worry about kids getting too much radiation.”

Not only should the brain be rested, but the mind as well. “Teachers should know the player may need some leeway on doing homework for a few days,” Herring says. “No video games, no texting either. Overdoing it can prolong the effects.

“When in doubt,” he emphasizes, “sit them out.” And keep them out until a qualified person gives the all-clear. C

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45

STOCKBYTE/MEDIA BAKERY

Putting lice on ice

By Jane Doucet

Star Lawrence is a medical journalist based in Chandler, Arizona, whose work has appeared on WebMD and the CBS Web site.

Connecting ■ Centers for Disease Control, Heads Up Program: www.cdc.gov/concussionin youthsports ■ Children’s National Medical Center, Safe Concussion Outcome Recovery & Education (SCORE) program: www.childrensnational.org/ Type ”SCORE“ into the search box.

PARENTS OF elementary-school students dread the day their child comes home from school with lice. But although lice are unpleasant, it’s not the end of the world. “Lice don’t cause any serious medical diseases, and they have nothing to do with the cleanliness of your home or your child,” says Dr. Robert Steele, a board-certified pediatrician at St. John’s Children’s Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.

Head lice are tiny insects that lay their eggs, or nits, close to the scalp. Shaped like tiny teardrops, the nits are brownish white, about the size of a poppy seed, and stick to individual hairs. Adult lice have six legs and are 2 mm to 4 mm long, about the size of a sesame seed. Spread through direct contact or by sharing items such as combs, hats or hairbrushes, lice PARENTS OF elementary-school students dread the day their child comes home from

crawl quickly; they don’t jump, fly or hop.

An itchy scalp may be a sign of lice, but often there are no symptoms. To look for lice, regularly check behind your children’s ears and their entire head, hair by hair from root to tip. Part damp combed hair into thin narrow sections, then run a lice comb through one section at a time. Place the comb against the scalp and pull it to the end of the hair, checking the teeth after each stroke.

If you find lice or nits, buy an over-the-counter chemical treatment from the pharmacy and follow the directions. “Home treatments like mayonnaise or Vaseline don’t smother the lice,” says Dr. Steele, who also cautions against using lavender oil or tea tree oil, neither of which is effective.