IFAS TV News Script: HEADLICE - PKG.

LEAD: 10-MILLION CHILDREN AND ADULTS ARE SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS THIS YEAR WONDERING WHAT TO DO ABOUT GETTING RID OF HEAD LICE. AS ERIN EASTERLING REPORTS, NEW STUDIES ARE UNDERWAY TO UNCOVER THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM .

SUPERS:
         
Gainesville, Florida
Laura Richards - Concerned Parent
Dr. Phil Koehler- UF Urban Entomologist
Erin Easterling Reporting
Clay Scherer - UF Research Assistant

TRT:  1:23   

TAG: CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, HEAD LICE CAN NOT JUMP OR FLY, THEY CAN ONLY BE TRANSMITTED BY HEAD TO HEAD CONTACT.

----------------------------------------------------------SCRIPT---------------------------------------------------------------------------

PARENTS CAN BE SURE TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL WITH BOOKS AND LUNCHES, BUT WHAT THEY CANÕT ALWAYS CONTROL IS WHAT CHILDREN BRING HOME.

RICHARDS: "I was absolutely floored when lice showed up. In fact, the first time my daughter got lice, we thought the climate had changed and she had dandruff." (:09)

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCHERS FEAR THE BATTLE AGAINST HEAD LICE MAY GET TOUGHER. WITH ONLY ONE TYPE OF CHEMICAL TREATMENT AVAILABLE WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION, LICE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME RESISTANT. TESTING IS UNDERWAY TO DETERMINE IF THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED.

KOEHLER: ÒWeÕre very concerned now that the failures that weÕre seeing now in our ability to control head lice now is due to the insects having evolved a resistance to these compounds. (:11)"

DESPITE THIS CONCERN, IF A CHILD GETS HEAD LICE, PARENTS ARE URGED TO USE AN INSECTICIDAL SHAMPOO, CAREFULLY FOLLOWING THE LABEL DIRECTIONS. AND IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT TO COMB OUT ANY HEAD LICE EGGS OR NITS.

SCHERER: "If we don't remove the nits, then we are completely wasting our time. We may kill all the lice with shampoo or any other treatment, but if we leave the nits there, then they're just going to hatch and have another problem. (:13)

PARENTS SHOULD CHECK THEIR CHILDRENÕS HAIR WEEKLY FOR SIGNS OF LICE, AND NEVER TRY TO TREAT LICE WITH HARMFUL PRODUCTS, SUCH AS GASOLINE OR KEROSENE, WHICH CAN CAUSE SEVERE SIDE EFFECTS.

IN GAINESVILLE, IÕM ERIN EASTERLING REPORTING.

IFAS TV News - 1999