Maria Botham owns a lice removal salon in Los Angeles. "I found a louse on her already, and it's a pretty big guy."
And was shocked when one of her technicians found lice in her daughter's hair during a routine screening. "Lucia started school a week ago, and I meant to do it two weeks ago, which I really wish I did, but here we are."
A new study finds more and more lice are not responding to common over-the-counter treatments including permethrin. So far the drug resistant bugs have been found in 25 states, but not Nevada. Dr. Corinn Cross is a pediatrician and the American Academy of Pediatrics spokesperson. "Lice as a species have been exposed to these medications, so they naturally develop a resistance."
Up to 12 million kids get lice each year and parents spend about $350 million on prescriptions and over-the-counter products with permethrin to treat it.
Doctors say parents should consult their pediatrician for the most effective treatment. "If you do have a lot of resistance in your area, there's no reason to use a medication isn't going to be effective."
While getting rid of the bugs can be a nuisance for both parents and children, pediatricians stress they're not dangerous and do not transmit diseases.
Guidelines recommend as long as children are being treated they can return to school.Â
