Head lice are small insects that live on the human scalp and feed on small amounts of human blood. Anyone can get head lice, and having lice is not a sign of poor hygiene, according to the National Institutes of Health. Lice move by crawling, and they can easily spread between children if given the opportunity. Fortunately, your children can take steps to greatly reduce their risk of contracting head lice.
Step 1
Tell your children to avoid head-to-head contact with other children as much as possible. Lice are most commonly spread through direct head-to-head or hair-to-hair contact with an infested person, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Step 2
Teach your children not to share combs, brushes, hair bands, hats, helmets or other items that come in contact with the head, recommends the Nemours Foundation. It is possible for lice to be transferred to these items and then to your child's head.
Step 3
Instruct your children to avoid lying on beds, couches, carpets, pillows, stuffed animals or other areas where a person with a known lice infestation has recently been. The risk of getting lice from such objects is small, according to the CDC, but lice may live for one to two days after falling off of a human head.
Step 4
Learn about your school's policy regarding lice. Some schools may send notes home with classmates when a child in class is found to have lice. This can help parents identify and treat any cases that arise and keep the spread of lice in the classroom to a minimum. Schools should examine every child for lice if one child is found to have an infestation, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Step 5
Discuss any concerns you have about a classroom's cleanliness with your child's teacher or childcare provider. Frequent vacuuming and cleaning can help reduce the spread of head lice in group settings, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Tips and Warnings
- If anyone in your home does get lice, treat them promptly to prevent lice from spreading to other members of your household. Follow your doctor's advice or use an over-the-counter lice treatment according to the directions on the package.
