Head Lice in Kids: What Every Parent Needs to Know

Nearly every parent knows that dreaded moment when they receive a letter from their child’s school containing the words “head lice.” Lice might be unpleasant, but there’s no need to panic. We’ve got information and tips to help your family cope, courtesy of Sarah O’Connor, MD, Beacon Medical Group Pediatrics Bristol Street.

Sarah O’Connor, MD

“Having head lice is pretty common for children,” says Dr. O’Connor. “It is one of the most common illnesses that spreads among children.”

How easily do head lice spread?

Anyone can get head lice. “Getting head lice does not reflect on your personal hygiene or cleanliness and it does not mean you did something wrong,” says Dr. O’Connor.

Lice spread through close head-to-head contact or shared items and are passed quickly through classrooms because children are in close contact. Kids often share hats, and their bags and coats are lined up in the coat closet, giving lice an easy path from one item to the next.

Fortunately, they don’t jump. “So, you don’t have to worry about them crossing desks,” she adds.

Children are often infected with head lice for up to two weeks before showing symptoms, giving the lice plenty of time to spread before being noticed.

Do head lice carry infections?

Parents certainly find head lice unpleasant, but know that they are not dangerous. “While they’re annoying, you can rest assured that lice do not transmit disease,” says Dr. O’Connor.

How can parents treat head lice at home?

Successfully treating head lice means dealing with both the lice and their eggs.

“You actually need to use a permethrin-based shampoo where you’re seeing the live louse,” she explains. “Then you need to comb out the nits [eggs], because the shampoo actually doesn’t disrupt the egg sacs. The egg sacs are very week, so if you just disrupt them, you will kill the next generation.” Be sure to use a special fine-toothed comb, often included in the package with the shampoo.

After a week or two, it’s important to recheck your child for live lice and treat again if needed.

When you use the permethrin shampoo, also take the opportunity to do some laundry in hot water. “It’s best to wash anything that has been on your child: bedding, hats and jackets.” Also vacuum any hard surfaces.

The lice don’t actually live very long on surfaces, because they need a meal to survive. “I want to reassure parents not to feel overwhelmed. There’s no point in treating the whole family if they don’t have any lice or nits on their hair.”

Can babies get head lice?

“Typically, lice don’t infect infants,” says Dr. O’Connor, because lice prefer thicker hair. If you have a baby under the age of one and you suspect head lice, it’s best to take your child to the doctor.

“I would want to check and see, is it something else? And most of the over-the-counter permethrin shampoos are not approved for children under two years of age,” says Dr. O’Connor.

What else should parents know about head lice?

Sometimes insurance, especially Medicaid, will cover the cost of lice-killing shampoo, which can be up to $40 a bottle. “If you’re having an issue, call your doctor so that we can get a prescription to make it a little less burdensome,” says Dr. O’Connor.

Unfortunately, you can’t prevent head lice by using a special shampoo in advance.

Finally, Dr. O’Connor would like parents to be aware that finding head lice is not a reason for a child to be sent home from school. She recommends treating for head lice that evening, and then they should be able to go to school the next day.

“To be sent home can often be stigmatizing and hurtful, and also hard for parents,” she says. “As pediatricians, we really would like kids to be in school as much as possible.”

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