Head lice can impact any family at any time.

Here we learn about head lice and some strategies that can assist you to manage this common problem.

Head lice control can be a working parents nightmare. It is not at all unusual to receive a phone call from your childcare service or school asking you to come and pick your child up as they have head lice or nits. Do not despair head lice and nits are very common in children and today can be treated easily with a variety of products available on the market. For them to be effective however it is important to follow the instructions carefully. 

What are head lice?

Head lice are small insects not much bigger than a pinhead. They live on, or very close to the scalp and do not wander far down the hair shaft for very long. The lice have a mouth which is like a very small needle, which it sticks into the scalp and drinks blood. Head lice only live on human beings and it is not possible to catch them from animals.

What are nits?

Nits are not the same thing as lice. If you have nits, it does not always mean that you have head lice. Nits are egg cases laid by the lice, which are stuck on the hair shafts. They are smaller than a pinhead and are pearly white.

How do you get head lice?

The majority of infections are caught from close contact with peers, friends and family. Head lice can walk from one head to another through physical  contact, or by sharing hats, brushes and combs.

How do you know you have them?

Itchy scalp- behind the ears, along the hairline around the back of the neck. The itching results from a skin reaction to the saliva of the lice. Lice eggs (nits) appear as tiny, silvery clumps virtually cemented to the hair shaft near the roots.

Strategies to manage head lice.

There are various Pyrethrum treatments, which are available without prescription, from your local chemist. Pyrethrum is a natural pesticide that is deadly to lice but safe for people. Read and follow the instructions carefully.

Removing the nits (eggs) is vital.

This takes time and patience especially if the child has long thick hair. It may be helpful to provide some distraction for the child, such as a video, or their favourite T V programme. Tools which could make the removal of nits easier include a fine tooth comb, double sided sticky tape and finger nails. Try dipping your comb into a solution of equal parts vinegar and water, to loosen the nits. Remove every egg, which bonds to the hair shaft.

Part the hair in four sections and clip it up. Starting from the hairline at the nape of the neck, take small sections and comb thoroughly from the base to the ends of the hair wiping the nits from the comb with a tissue. During the process keep the hair damp. A week to ten days later (depending on the directions on the product) repeat the entire process, to catch any nits you may have missed the first time.

Preventing Head Lice.

There are only a few ways known to help prevent the spread of head lice.