Lice Love Everyone
Because lice are parasites, they will set up house on anyone's head, whether that person is clean, dirty, in second grade, in fifth grade, black, or white.
Anyone who says that people who get lice are dirty doesn't know that lice love everyone equally, and that includes the cleanest kid in the class! Lice do tend to spread in classrooms and schools because kids play together closely and often share more stuff than adults do.
Lice Like to Move
That's right: lice aren't happy just staying in one place on one person's head. Instead, they like to spread themselves around, moving to other people's heads and laying more nits.
Lice cannot jump or fly; they spread when people's heads touch or when they share hats and other clothing, combs, brushes, headbands, barrettes, and bedding (like sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and sleeping bags). If a louse (or lice) is stuck on any of these things and that item touches another person's head, that person may also get lice.
Saying Good-Bye to Lice
If your head feels very itchy, it's a good idea to tell an adult as soon as possible. This is especially true if you know that other kids in your class or school have had lice. Don't wait around - the more time the lice have to lay nits, the itchier you will be!
Often a parent or school nurse can recognize head lice just by looking for nits in the hair. Some kids' parents will take them to the doctor for a diagnosis of lice, but this is no big deal: he or she will just look at your hair for the same sign, which doesn't hurt at all.
If a parent, school nurse, or doctor makes a diagnosis of head lice, an adult will need to buy a special medicated shampoo, cream, or lotion that kills lice. An adult will need to apply the medicine, following the directions, and comb your hair with a fine-tooth comb to remove the nits that are already stuck in your hair. The shampoo, cream, or lotion usually kills the lice right away. The itching should go away within a few days, but treatment may need to be repeated in 7 to 10 days to kill any new lice that may have hatched since the first treatment.
It's also important that you not use a hair dryer on your hair after washing with the medicated shampoo, lotion, or cream because they can contain flammable ingredients (flammable means easy to catch on fire and burn).
Although lice can live for only 1 to 2 days off a person's head, it's a good idea for an adult to wash all your bedding, hats, clothing, and stuffed animals in water that's hot enough to kill any lice that may be living there. Or he or she can seal these things in airtight bags for 10 days to kill the lice and their eggs. Vacuuming the carpets, upholstery, and car seats will take care of any lice that fell off before treatment. Combs, brushes, and hair accessories need to be soaked in hot water, washed with medicated shampoo, or thrown away.
Life Without Lice
Sure, lice aren't so nice, but there are things you can do to keep them away. To help prevent lice:
Avoid close physical contact with a kid who has lice. This doesn't mean you guys can't talk, but avoid touching and especially putting your heads together!
Don't try on hats that belong to other kids.
Never share a comb or brush. Use your own, and don't lend them to anyone else.
If you wear headbands, hair clips, ribbons, barrettes, or other hair accessories, be sure to keep those to yourself, too.
Always use your own sleeping bag and pillow when sleeping away from home.
Remember, sharing is usually a great idea - except when it comes to sharing those little lice!
Updated and reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: September 2002
Originally reviewed by: Steve Dowshen, MD, and Joel Klein, MD
