Head lice
Life Cycle
How Is Head Lice Spread?
Head lice spread through direct contact among
children (head-to-head), or indirectly on items such
as: hats, combs, hairbrushes, headbands, helmets,
and toques.
How to Prevent the
Spread of Head Lice
Check your child’s head
regularly:
1. once a week as part of your
routine
2. after every sleepover
3. every day during lice
outbreaks at school
 Keep long hair tied back or
braided.
 Teach your child not to share
personal items that are used
on their head:
•
things like brushes,
combs, barrettes,
headbands, elastics,
towels, hats, helmets,
toques, and scarves.

• Teach your child to put their hats
and scarves in their coat sleeves or
backpacks when they take them off
at school.
•If your child has been in contact
with someone who has lice, you
need to check your child’s head
carefully to see if they have caught
lice.
•Head lice spread easily, so if one
person in the household has lice,
others may have it too. Check on
the same day.
How do I check for head lice?
 To confirm a case of head lice, you need to find live lice.
Children can have a few nits without actually having a case
of head lice. Usually children have no more than 10 to 20
live lice.
 Good lighting is important when you are checking.
 Head lice move fast and are hard to see. They are usually
found very close to the scalp, at the bottom of the neck and
behind the ears.
 To look for nits, part hair in small sections, moving from
one side of the head to the other. Check carefully, looking
close to the scalp.
How can head lice be treated?
 Insecticides are chemicals that kill insects (bugs).
Public Health Services recommends
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pyrethrin (found in R&C Shampoo, Pronto, Equate, or
Licetrol.)
Permethrin with piperonyl butoxide (Nix Creme Rinse or
Kwellada-P Creme Rinse)
 Combs, lice comb & regular comb
 Household clean up
 Check and treat all family members
The trick to getting rid of head lice
 Daily Combing!
 You must comb daily between the 1st and 2nd treatment. Why
you ask?
 Because the 1st treatment did not kill all the nits. Combing
daily will remove any new lice that hatch. ( if not removed,
they lay more nits in 9-15 days)
HRSB School Policy (2011) p.2
 The Principal shall:
Notify the parents /guardians of the suspicion that the student has
head lice;
 Students who are suspected of nits may remain at school.
 Students who are suspected of having live lice will be sent home
for treatment with parents/guardians.
 Etc……

Should children with head lice stay home
from school?
 Children with head lice should be treated and can
attend school or child care as usual.
 ‘No-nit’ policies that keep children with head lice
away from school are not necessary because:
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Head lice are common among young children.
Head lice don’t spread disease.
Cases of head lice are often misdiagnosed.
Children can have head lice for several weeks with no
symptoms.
Over 75% of children with nits close to scalp and no live lice,
do not develop active infestation
Take home message….
•If your child has head lice, treat it.
•Teach your child to avoid head-to-head contact with
other children until the lice are gone.
•Children should not share combs, hairbrushes,
caps, hats or hair ornaments.
•Check your child’s head regularly!
Links
 http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/head_lic
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e
http://www.gov.ns.ca/hpp/publications/07135_hea
dlicepamphlet_en.pdf
http://www.gov.ns.ca/hpp/publications/Head_Lice
_Guidelines_for_Treatment.pdf
http://www.hrsb.ns.ca/files/downloads/pdf/board/
policy/sectionb/b.005-head-lice.pdf
www.cdha.nshealth.ca/public-health/links