How to tackle head lice in children

• Published date: 18 January 2023
• Publication title: Courier, The

How can I tell if my child has head lice

Your child may have an itchy scalp, especially around the nape of the neck, crown and ears.

You may see live lice on the scalp, or hard, pale grey or yellow-white eggs (nits) like grains of salt attached to the hair, close to the scalp.

Or the first indication you may have is when the school tells you there’s an outbreak.

How do I treat them?

The key to dealing with lice is to check, treat and inform.

1. Check: check your child’s hair regularly — once a week is a good guide. In the past, teachers and public health nurses lined up kids for public and humiliating checks at school. These days schools don’t do checks so it’s up to you to check at home.

2. Treat: If you find live lice or unhatched eggs, treat your child as soon as you can. Your chemist can advise you on the best way to deal with the problem. Schools also give good advice and can refer you for further advice and treatment. Treatments don’t need to be expensive, although they can be time-consuming, for example using a fine-toothed comb every day.

3. Inform: Let the school know when your child has lice or nits. They can then tell other parents that there is an outbreak, so everyone can check and treat their own children.

Teachers can make adjustments in the classroom — such as removing the dress-up box until the infestation is over, or reducing close group work where students’ heads are touching.

Many schools work with the public health nurse when there is a school-wide infestation.

Will my child have to stay away from school?

No, the school shouldn’t exclude your child or ask you to keep them at home because they have lice. You don’t need to keep your child...