The Truth About Lice
Where do head lice come from? Head lice have been around for thousands of years. As with any insect, they learn to adapt to their environment in order to survive. We are never going to be completely rid of them, but we can make managing them easier. | |
Do head lice fly or jump? Head lice do not have wings so they cannot fly. They can't jump because they do not have ‘knees’. | |
| Can head lice spread disease? No. A head lice infection is not a life threatening health condition – like similar health conditions such scabies, and ringworm, it is a parent or guardian’s responsibility to treat and care for their child. | |
Do head lice live in carpets, clothes, hats or sheets? Not for very long. They require blood to survive. An egg requires warmth to hatch and is the reason why they are laid close to the scalp. The further away from the scalp, the less likely they are to survive. | |
| Is it true that head lice only like clean hair? No. Head lice are not selective. They don't care if hair is long, short, blonde, brown, washed this morning or last week. As long as they are warm, and have blood to drink, then they are content. | |
How can we decrease our chances of getting lice? Never share hair brushes, combs, hair pieces, hats, bedding, towels, or clothing with someone who has head lice. Check your child's head regularly Tying back hair can also help prevent the spread of head lice. | |
What should I treat with? Pyrethrin solutions (RID® or NIX®) should be used according to the package directions. | |
Do some products work better than others? Over time, head lice may develop resistance to some chemicals. It is important to check if a treatment you used has worked, and if not, treat again with another product that has a different chemical. | |
Why do you have to treat again in 7 days? Head lice eggs take 6-7 days to hatch. And when you treat, it’s easy to miss an egg or two. By treating again in seven days, you are aiming to kill and comb out any lice that have since hatched from eggs, which were missed. | |
| Should I treat everyone in the family? It is important to check each family member for head lice but only treat those with eggs or live lice. | |
| What should I wash or treat at home? Wash all combs and brushes in hot water and soap. Wash all clothing and bedding in hot water and soap and dry on high heat. Anything that cannot be washed should be vacuumed or placed in a plastic bag and tied up for 2 weeks. | |
Why does my child keep getting re-infected? Re-infection is the least likely reason for head lice returning in a week's time. If eggs do not die, or were not removed during the original treatment they may hatch and the lifecycle occurs all over again. To break this lifecycle you must re-treat (regardless of treatment method) seven days after the first treatment and continue with weekly checking. | |
Does my child have to miss school? The Long Beach School District Policy mandates that a child that is found to have live lice will be dismissed from school. Once the child has been treated with the appropriate shampoo he/she should be rechecked by the school nurse upon return to school. | |
 Having head lice does NOT mean the person has poor hygiene or low social status. | |
 Note: The nurses see random cases of lice throughout the school year. This is common when groups of children gather together. This is not meant to raise any alarm about a lice outbreak.
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| Created 10/17/13 | |