Head lices is one of the top the reasons as to why children miss school. It is also extremely common. In the US, approximately 6 to 12 million school children get it each year. It is most common in children between the ages of 3 to 11. Although head lice are not dangerous, they are extremely contagious. Contrary to popular belief they are not a sign of being unhygienic or having dirty hair. In fact, head lice can live in clean hair. Some other common myths about head lice are that they can fly, jump and swim. This however is not true. Neither can they live on your pets, or furniture and household items such as carpets, blankets couches and mattresses.

If you discover that your child has head lice, then the good news is that head lice control is available and effective. Once you find that your child has head lice, you can use a few ways in which to control the situation. Fine-toothed combs that are specifically designed to get rid of head lice and magnetic fine-toothed combs that cause the eggs to stick to it are available. If you have more than one child in the house, you should screen every child including yourself and your spouse since head lice are very contagious. Wash all clothing and beddings that were used during the time of the head lice infestation. Don’t use the harsh or harmful chemicals in order to wash your laundry. If you feel that it is necessary, keep your kids at home rather than sending them to school to avoid them passing on the head lice to other kids.

Although over-the-counter treatment is available for head lice, it is not guaranteed to work. There are many products that will get the desired results and get rid of the head lice, however, not all of them are guaranteed to be safe and as effective as prescription treatment. So the best alternative is to see a doctor and get a prescription treatment rather than using over-the-counter products.

Once you have successfully eradicated the head lice from your children, you need to take preventative measures to make sure they don’t happen again. Try and screen your kids at least once every week. This should be done especially when they return from camp or a holiday break as this is where outbreaks tend to happen more often. In the event that you do hear about a lice outbreak, and your kids have long hair, keep the hair tied up and braided. This is because long hair is more susceptible to an infestation than shorty hair is. Other things you can do to prevent lice infestation, is encourage your child’s school to conduct routine head lice checks. This will ensure that in the event that any children get head lice, it is minimized and treated as quickly as possible.

Some people believe that natural home remedies can eradicate or eliminate head lice, however contrary to popular belief this is not true. It is best that you use prescription medication to combat head lice.