Smart Ways to Prevent Kids From Getting Head Lice

Head lice are everywhere. If you have kids and they are around other kids, they are at risk of getting head lice. They are in every community and school district, from the richest to the poorest.

Although the focus of parents and pediatricians is usually on treating head lice infestations, with more lice being resistant or hard to treat, it is probably even more important to teach your kids to avoid head lice. Since head lice can’t jump from child to child or crawl into your home, preventing head lice infestations isn’t as hard as it may sound.

Use these practical tips to prevent your child from getting lice.1

1. 1. Encourage your kids to avoid sharing things that have been on or near another child’s head, including hairbrushes, combs, hats, scarves, towels, helmets, pillows, sleeping bags, etc.
   2. Teach your kids to hang up their coats and hats on an individual hook, or some other separate area when they get to school, instead of just throwing them in a pile with their classmates’ clothing.
   3. Regularly clean things that your child’s head has direct contact with that they share with other children. Examples are car seats, pillows, and headphones.
   4. Review head lice pictures to help you understand what you are looking for in your child’s hair, including live lice and nits (empty egg casings).
   5. Check your child for nits and live head lice at least once a week. Although you may find head lice anywhere, they are often found at the back of your child’s head, near the neck, and behind the ears. Wash your child’s hair with a regular shampoo and hair conditioner. It’s easier to comb through your child’s hair if you use hair conditioner. Check your child’s hair while it is still damp.
   6. Recognize the symptoms of head lice, which include an itchy scalp and small red bumps or sores on the back of your child’s neck and scalp. Don’t panic, though, if your child must be treated for head lice.
   7. Review all of these head lice prevention steps before and after sleepovers, school field trips, or when your child goes camping.
   8. You won’t prevent head lice by keeping your child’s hair short or in a ponytail. Nor will special shampoos, conditioners, or hairspray help. You should avoid using potentially toxic products if your child doesn’t have an active infestation. In the case of infestation, you should use only products that are approved for treating lice infestation in children.