Headlice

On any given day in schools, kindergartens, or indeed anywhere little people gather in numbers, you can count on an outbreak of these pesky critters.

What are they?

Headlice occur in three forms – nits(the eggs), baby lice and the black crawly adult lice. Nits are miniscule and white, attach to the hair by a cement like- secretion and hatch after a week or so. Adult lice can live in the hair for up to 30 days.

So, am I itchy because I’ve got them too, or is it just the thought? Well, maybe! Headlice are most easily passed on by head to head contact. They don’t hop! Check at the nape of the neck and behind the ears.

But I've looked and I can't see anything, Why is she still itching?

Mmm… maybe they haven’t hatched! The only sure way to tell is by wet-combing hair with a metal fine-toothed comb, specifically designed to break the contact between eggs and hair shaft.

Put conditioner on and divide hair into sections. Gently comb from roots to tips. You’ll soon see if there are nits; they’re the unmistakeable white things caught in the teeth of the comb – usually lots!

Okay – Must I put that stuff with the half-life of Plutonium on her hair?

There are many preparations on the market – shampoos, lotions and mousse. They contain an active ingredient that kills the louse on contact, meaning you can send your darling back to care the very next day. Continue wetcombing to remove the nits, just in case. With any preparation there are resistant superlice that just don’t want to vacate the premises.

What about non-chemical preparations?

Yep, there are some herbal shampoos out there as well and desperate parents have been known to marinade their child’s hair in olive oil and lavender. The jury’s still out on that one. Your local pharmacist is the best person to consult – buying patterns mean they are first with the news on outbreaks.

So, I've nuked the little so and so's – Is that it?

If only! Wise parents will check all siblings and each other’s hair. Combs and brushes used for treatment should be put in near boiling water for 30 seconds. Fortunately modern research has discovered that lice do not survive off the skin so there really is no need to go on a bed linen washing frenzy...unless it makes you feel better.

It is recommended that pillow slips be washed in hot water or placed in the hot cycle of the dryer for 15 minutes.

Sharing of hats presents no risk. Then it’s ‘fessing up time to daycare, school and friends, but don’t feel too bad. It’s a rare family that escapes this particular scourge.

Am I done then?

Almost. The hardest part of eliminating headlice is just that – achieving lice-free status. No sooner have you done, than another friend will glumly pass on the bad news - often it’s back to square one.

Vigilance is the only answer – you may feel like one of those baboons in the zoo, picking through your child’s hair the minute you lay eyes on them, but that’s better than going through the whole shebang again. Wet comb regularly until the infestation has passed.

For more information visit these useful websites:

Managing Headlice at Home - Queensland Government Health

Nitwits - Natural headlice treatment

The information provided in this article is intended as a guide only. Always consult your doctor if you or your child is suffering any medical complaint. Any websites referred to by Australian Family contain information moderated by government and medical institutions or organisations.

This article was first published in Australian Family Magazine, October 2000. Updated July 2009.