Head lice

By Christine Gillard | Posted: Thursday June 29, 2023

Head lice or nits, are very common in kids and easily spread around school. They can be annoying but are treatable.

How would you know if your child has them? 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 you use the new treatment from the GP:

• Coat hair from the roots to the tips, combing through hair only if necessary to spread the lotion.
  
• Leave on overnight (or for at least 8 hours).
  
• Wash out with normal shampoo and conditioner.
  
• Repeat treatment in 7 days to suffocate remaining eggs and lice.
  

Everyone in the house should be checked and treated for lice if you find them present.

How can I stop my child getting head lice?

Head lice is really common in children. There are some things you can do to help prevent them:

• Brush your child’s hair every day (or remind them to do this)
  
• Don’t share brushes, combs, towels or hats
  
• Check your child’s hair for lice regularly, and act straight away if you find any
  
• You don’t need to shave your child’s hair, but it can help to keep it short or tied up when at school.