♪.

Hi, Squeaks, how’s it going? [Squeaks squeaks]. Oh, I’m doing all right, and I’m really glad my head isn’t itchy anymore. [Squeaks squeaks].

Well, actually, I had head lice last week, but it’s gone now! Lice are little tiny bugs that like to live in people’s hair. And they’re really itchy! [Squeaks squeaks].

Don’t worry! Head lice can't make you sick! And it’s really unlikely you’d get head lice because head lice don’t jump from person to person – or from person to robot rat!

The only way you’d get it is if we shared a hat, a hairbrush, a pillow, or anything else that might touch my head. I remember not too long ago, I tried on my friend’s cool hat – and it turned out she had head lice. So I bet that’s where I got it from!

Anyone can get lice, and it doesn’t mean they’re dirty or don’t shower enough. Lice actually have an easier time living on clean hair — it’s not as slippery, so it’s easier for them to grab onto. The only thing head lice are interested in is your scalp — the skin underneath your hair.

All head lice want is to bite your scalp so they can feed off your blood. Ick, I know! They’re a little like mosquitoes that way since they feed off your blood, too.

But unlike mosquitoes, which can bite pretty much anyone, kids get head lice more often than adults, mainly because kids share hats and brushes a lot more often than adults do. So what exactly was going on in my hair? Let’s take a closer look!

A louse, which is the word for one lice, has six legs, with claws on each leg! They use these claws to hold onto your hair! Lice are pretty tiny, about the same size as a strawberry seed or a sesame seed.

When a louse first gets into your hair, it lays eggs, called nits. The louse also makes something a lot like glue, which makes the nits stick to your hair. Weird, right?

Then, after about eight or nine days, the nits hatch! These young lice are called nymphs. After about 9-12 more days, the nymphs grow up and become adult lice.

Most people don’t start itching until 2-6 weeks after they get lice, though. And some people actually don’t itch at all! But It’s definitely important to get rid of the lice.

Not only is it kinda icky, and having an itchy scalp is pretty annoying – but also, if you scratch too much, you could hurt the skin on your scalp and even get an infection if the skin breaks open and germs get in. Sometimes people can mistake other things like dandruff or dirt for head lice, so the first thing to do is be sure you have lice by talking to an expert. A nurse or other lice expert will look closely at your scalp.

They might comb through your hair with a fine-toothed comb that can catch the lice. They might also use a special light called a blacklight, which glows a kind of dark purple and helps you see lice more easily. If you do have lice, they might recommend you use a special shampoo that helps get rid of the lice.

Usually they say you should use the special shampoo again a little over a week later, because even if the shampoo gets rid of all the lice that are already alive, it might not get rid of all the nits — the lice eggs. So when those nits hatch, the shampoo can get rid of the lice that come out of them before they have a chance to lay even more eggs. Cool fact, a lot of these shampoos are made from the chrysanthemum flower!

It has chemicals in it that will kill lice. You may not need to see a doctor or nurse, but you should definitely tell an adult if your head is itchy, and they can decide. If you have lice, you may be able to treat it at home by combing your hair with a special comb or using a special shampoo -- or doing both!

You’ll probably also need to wash your bed sheets and any clothes you wore in the last two days in hot water. And if you have a favorite stuffed animal – and who doesn’t? It will probably need to go in the dryer just to be sure it doesn’t have any lice, either!

And that’s pretty much it! So, Squeaks! I sure am glad I got my head lice taken care of!

When you’re experiencing something weird like itching, it’s always good to tell someone. And it’s also good to know that it’s really nothing to worry about. Having head lice definitely isn’t fun, but they’re also pretty harmless, and there are ways to get rid of them.

Thanks for joining us! If you want to keep learning and having fun with Squeaks and me, hit the subscribe button! We’ll see you next time, here at the Fort! ♪.