What are head lice?

Head lice are sesame seed-sized insects that live in human hair.

Lice are relatively common and can be spread when children are in close contact or share combs, hats, etc.

Having lice is no indication of a child's personal cleanliness.

What are the symptoms of head lice?

Your child may have nits (eggs the louse lays) firmly attached to the base of her hair. Developing nits are similar in color to the color of your child's hair. Hatched eggs dry, turn white and are easier to see.

You may want to try looking for nits on hairs at the nape of the neck. Nits on hairs draped over skin are easier to spot.

Nits cannot be shaken off or easily brushed away.

Lice move quickly and are difficult to see.

Your child may have a rash on her head that is extremely itchy.

Home care

Your child may need to be evaluated in our office. Please call our office today for an appointment.

We may prescribe anti-lice shampoo:

Vacuum the floors, especially in your child's room.

Soak all combs and brushes in diluted anti-lice shampoo.

Wash all sheets, blankets, and pillowcases in hot water.

Store all items that cannot be washed in plastic bags for three weeks to kill all of the nits.

Check all other household members for lice by inspecting their scalps. Look for lice, nits, rashes, sores, or itching. If family members have any of these symptoms, they should be evaluated.

It is usually necessary to use a fine-tooth comb to remove eggs and lice manually, especially since our schools will not allow a child to return until ALL of the nits are gone, even if they are killed by the anti-lice product. If the fine toothed comb does not remove ALL of the nits then you will have to carefully pick them out by hand. Our schools have a NO NIT POLICY and will not allow them back until they are ALL removed.

Notify your child's school or child care provider.

Prevent future episodes of lice by encouraging your child not to share combs, brushes, and hats with other children.

Warning signs - Call our office for advice if:

Your child's sores start to spread or turn red and get swollen, call our office now.

Your child's rash has not cleared up one week after treatment, call our office for an appointment.

Your child's rash clears and then returns, call our office for an appointment.

Your child gets new eggs in her hair, call our office for an appointment.

You have any questions or concerns, or if you have any doubts about the severity of your child's symptoms, call our office now.