Head Lice
Finding head lice and how to get rid of them
Do Not Worry. There are very few things that cause more worry in parents than to find out that your child has head lice. It is important to know that head lice are easy to treat and you can get rid of them.
There are cases of head lice every year. It is very hard to stop the spread of head lice and that is why they have been around so long. If head lice are found, the best thing to do is to get rid of them. Having head lice is no one’s fault.
What to do:
Head lice move fast! Look at the hair near a sunny window, under a bright light, or outside on a sunny day. Move parts of the hair aside and check near the back of the neck, behind the ears, and on the scalp.
Please contact your child’s doctor for their advice, first.
Other steps:
- Only treat the hair if live lice are seen.
- Call your child’s doctor, drug store or school nurse for help, if needed.
- Always read the box or bottle for tips on how to use the special treatment.
- After the first special shampoo, do another special treatment in 10 days.
- If you wish, you may want to try white hair conditioner on dry hair. Leave it on the hair for 20 minutes and then comb out the lice with a metal
- comb. Try this every day for 7-10 days.
- Check the hair once a week after the lice are gone.
- Tell friends and others who you have seen in the last month about the lice so they can check the people around them.
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Day 0 1st Treatment |
Days 1-9 Comb hair to remove nits |
Day 10 Repeat Treatment |
Facts About Head Lice: Top 3 Common Myths
Myth #1: Head lice can jump or fly.
- Truth: Head lice have no wings and cannot jump. They can only crawl.
Myth #2: Head lice are a sign of a dirty home or poor hygiene.
- Truth: Head lice are not related to cleanliness. They feed on blood from the scalp, regardless of how clean the hair is.
Myth #3: If you find nits (eggs), you have live lice.
- Truth: Nits can remain in the hair for months after they've died. Only treat the hair if live lice are seen — not for nits alone.
* Sources:
American Academy of Pediatrics
Harvard School of Public Health
James Cook University (Richard Speare)
University of New Hampshire (John F. Burger, PhD)