I know I had head lice once when I was child. I can’t remember too much about it, except for my mom being frustrated and continually cleaning, washing, and vacuuming everything around me. Hmmm… something I don’t look forward to with my own children.

Head lice are extremely annoying and persistent creatures. Like any parasite, lice can only survive through a host’s blood. Lice bite into the skin in order to feed off the host, which often causes itching and skin irritation. Head lice are usually common in school-aged children. Contrary to popular belief, lice cannot jump from one person to another, since they don’t have hind legs, and they also cannot fly because they have no wings. Lice are, however, very contagious and are usually spread in environments with groups like schools where kids can share many things, like brushes or hats. The difficulty in getting rid of lice is that they have claws which cling to hair and they’re able to withstand brushing and shaking.

If your child is sent home due to head lice, here are some steps you can take to get rid of this infestation:

• Know the difference between a nit and an adult louse and what they look like. Nits are the eggs lice lay and they look like brownish, yellowish dots on someone’s scalp. Nits can usually be found close to the hair shaft — an environment they prefer due to the heat. Adult lice are usually brown and are no bigger than the tip of a pencil.
• You can avoid lice by telling your child not to share hats, brushes, hairbands, and other hair accessories with their schoolmates. Avoid having your child share bedding and pillows with other children.
• Instead of running to the drugstore for a remedy, call your child’s pediatrician instead. The pediatrician will be able to write your child a prescription for medication which is usually in the form of a shampoo or lotion. Unfortunately, many of the over-the-counter treatments are not very effective and can contain some harmful chemicals you don’t want around your child. Even some of the natural alternatives for head lice removal are not very effective. Taking a comb and going through your child’s scalp and hair to remove nits and lice is very effective also. There are special combs for head lice that your child’s pediatrician can recommend. You want to deal with this problem right away instead of wasting a lot of time (nits usually hatch within two weeks) and money on remedies that may or may not work. Again, your child’s pediatrician will have more effective solutions available for you.
• Since lice can only live within a few days of off their host, it’s best that you vacuum your floors and even your sofa. Instruct your child not to put his head on the carpet, since lice can travel from the carpet and back onto your child’s head. If you have other children in the home, instruct your kids not to share anything where lice can be passed on from one child to other: pillows, blankets, hair brushes, towels, etc.
• After applying the treatment, if you do not see any dead lice or still see activity or new nits on your child’s head, the treatment is most likely not working. Ask your child’s pediatrician for another alternative. Also, after treatment, change your child’s clothing and wash immediately.
• Clean combs and brushes with hot water and soap — soak for at least one hour.
• Instead of placing stuffed animals in sealed plastic bags, put them in the dryer for at least 30 minutes instead.
• Remember to not wash your child’s head for at least one to two days after applying the treatment.
• Wash bedding in hot water daily. This helps kill off the lice. Also dry clothing on a high setting.
• Check everyone in the house for lice. Since lice are contagious, the infestation can grow quickly in a household.
• Remember that lice are human parasites. They cannot be transmitted through your pet, nor can they survive on your pet. Lice require human blood to survive.
• There are also lice treatment centers popping up across the country — ask your family’s pediatrician for his advice regarding the facilities. If you are in the northeast/New England area go to The Lice Treatment Center. In South Florida visit Lice Source. Other centers across the country include Bernadette’s Lice Removal Center, Hair Fairies, The Texas Lice Squad and Lice B-goners.
• Screen your child on a regular basis. Many schools perform these services in order to catch any impending infestations, but you should perform your own screenings every month. Ask your child’s pediatrician how to check your child for lice.