21 Mo Old Scratching Head

My son always scratches the back of his head when he's tired. I think you'd know if it were lice- he'd scratch ALL day and be extremely irritable. Have you changed his shampoo recently? If I change my sons shampoo or bathe him too often, he gets an itchy scalp. Could be that?
Lynsey

The best way to tell if your son has lice is to check the back of his ears. If it looks dark & doesn't rub off like dirt then the chances are is that he does have lice. There are different remedies to get rid of it but it can come back. Or it could possibly be something else. If you run out of options then I would take him to the doctors for their opinion.

Hi J.,
If he's not scratching at all during the day, I would guess it is not lice but honestly, I think it IS worth a trip to the doctor, better safe than sorry. Even if it is not lice, if he has a skin condition, the doctor can treat it. Good luck!

Hey mom,

It doesn't sound like he's got head lice.

But there are natural ways to get them out without a special trip to the doctor All you need is the little comb.
Comb thru his hair, and if you find one , then he's got them, if not then he doesn't .

Just go to Walmart, CVS, WALGREENS, RITE AID,
What ever you have near the house.

http://www.walgreens.com/library/ask/aap/childrenshealth/...

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/shop_sub_category.jsp?f...

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=1031...

Hi J.
Worth a trip to the MD, or at least a call.
It could be so many things including a reaction to the shampoo, but you can't know.
Lice you would see if you look close.
Could also be just a waking up thing.
God bless you with wisdom
K. SAHM married 38 years

J.,
If your son has lice you would be able to see them.
A louse is a nasty little bug that bites the scalp and makes the scalp itch. Go to your child's head, separate the hair as though you're making a part and look closely. They are small but not invisible.
If no lice, then maybe his scalp is itchy because of the shampoo you use, or it's not getting rinsed out properly making the scalp tighten when it dries.

Hope this helps.

Hi J., You may be right about his head being sweaty. He could only have lice if he was near someone else who has lice. If you run your fingers through his hair you would feel something firm on the hair shaft. You will be able to pull it off with your finger nails. If you find this it could be lice. If so there are products over the counter. I do think your son is so young for this. They usually come home from school with it. Ease your mind.Check it out. Grandma Mary

You can see lice crawling around on the scalp when you push the hair back. Take a look.
You might also consider washing his hair every other day if you don't think the problem is lice. Shampoos can be very drying if you are using every day. And every kids skin is different, what one child may tolerate fine may not work for your child.
Of course if it is really only happening when he wakes up, maybe it's behavioral?

Hi!

My daughter used to do the same thing when she would wake up (when she was about 1-2 yrs old). She didn't have any lice though. I think it was more so that she just had very dry skin or it was a soothing habit.

Lice is noticeable on the follicle of the hair. Usually looks like a little white sack. Sometimes even the lice that have hatched from the egg can be visible.

I would suggest maybe using a conditioner with his hair, if you haven't done so already.

C.
Birth Doula CD(DONA)
www.gentle-birth-doula