Ukus are a major frustration for many keiki in Hawaii.

By Lucy Jokiel

Each fall, children in Hawaii head back to the classroom. Unfortunately, head lice – “uku” in Hawaiian and commonly known here as “ukus” – also make their reappearance, spreading from child to child. The problem occurs in many schools, homes, nurseries, and day care and recreation centers throughout the state.

The ukus, also called Pediculosis humanus capitis, average 1 to 2 mm. in length. Although not a life-threatening problem, it is largely an inconvenience. For many local students and their families, it’s also an embarrassing predicament accompanied by shame and teasing from the others who are fortunate enough not to have contracted them – yet. Parents sometimes unfairly blame the schools for allowing a dirty environment.

Head lice is a common, highly contagious infection in which the insects feed themselves by sucking blood through a little opening they make in the scalp. The female louse attaches her eggs (nits) to the base of the hair near the scalp; the nits hatch seven to 10 days later. The tiny critters are spread from person to person by close head-to-head contact and by sharing belongings that are infested with lice.

Up to 12 million people a year are infected with head lice, most of them children between the ages of 3 and 12, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The U.S. Department of Health and the CDC don't consider head lice a reportable health problem, so it's difficult to accurately measure the incidence. 

According to pediatrician Derek Ching, M.D., the signs and symptoms of ukus include:

• A tickling, irritating feeling of something moving in the hair. 
• Itching, caused by an allergic reaction to the bites. 
• Sores on the head caused by scratching. These sores can sometimes become infected. 

How is the influx of head lice diagnosed? “By looking closely through the hair and scalp for eggs or moving ukus,” says Ching. “This can be hard because there are usually just a few of them and they can move quickly away from searching fingers. If you are not sure, have a health professional take a look.”

It’s helpful to use a fine-toothed metal lice comb to run through the hair and find the nits, the tiny egg casings left by baby lice. A heavy infestation often requires hours of careful combing and the use of tweezers to remove the nits.

The most common treatment for ukus is an over-the-counter or prescription cream, lotion, or shampoo that’s applied to the skin or scalp to kill the lice and eggs. In some cases, you may need a second treatment to make sure that all the eggs are dead. Wash clothing, bedding, and hair brushes in hot water.

No bugs about it. Remember that head lice cannot harm your child's health. They simply are a nuisance, an irritating part of childhood. But with patience and persistence, you can claim victory over the dreaded ukus.