At this time of the year, parents of school-age children are settling into the new school year – and all the challenges that this brings. While some of these challenges are easy to deal with, one of the biggest facing parents is the ever-present threat of head lice which seem to be part-and-parcel of the school experience for many children. Being at school means children are returning to the environment where head lice proliferate, and parents are often at their wit’s end trying to find ways to get rid of them.

Catching head lice does not mean your child has done anything wrong or is not hygienic. Statistics vary but indicate generally that between 20-30 per cent of primary school students are likely to get head lice at some stage. A single infested head can successfully infest a whole classroom and when the children return home, they often unwittingly pass the infestation on to the rest of the family.

Head lice are wingless creatures which cannot fly or even jump but move from host to host by crawling or climbing. Close contact between children therefore gives them great opportunities to spread but it is important to understand that head lice are not confined to children. In fact, anyone can get head lice but they are more common in children because of their close contact.

Head lice do not carry disease, but we need to get rid of them.

If your child has head lice, you might notice your child itching and scratching, especially around the back of the neck and behind their ears. A bad case of head lice can lead to itchy dermatitis on the scalp, crusted sores and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. But this isn’t common, and your child can avoid it if your treat their head lice as soon as possible.

When you look closely at your child’s hair, you might see small, ovalshaped, white or brown-black nits attached to the root of the hair, near the scalp. You might also see live head lice. Live head lice move fast so to spot them you might have to part your child’s hair very quickly.

Having found head lice, the next step is to try to get rid of them and fast.

Your community pharmacy stocks special combs as well as shampoos, conditioners, creams and other products to treat head lice infestation. There are chemical-based treatments available as well as a number of treatments which are based on essential oils such as anise, rosemary, lavender, and tea tree oil. There also are a range of herbal products.

The wide variety of active ingredients available is due to the fact that head lice are very adaptable and can develop resistance to some chemicals. For this reason it is important to talk to your community pharmacist about what is the right product for you or your child.

Your pharmacist has the experience and training to make sure you get the best treatment.

After selecting a treatment, it is important that following its use, you test to see if the lice are dead. This is because you need to be sure that what you are using is working on the lice. While resistance is an issue, many treatment failures are due to inadequate time in contact with hair and scalp, inappropriate application methods, or the use of ineffective products. Ask your pharmacist to recommend an evidence-based product – that is: one that is proven to be effective – and also to show you how to apply it effectively.

Whatever head lice treatment is chosen, a fine toothcomb is essential to get the nits out.

If live lice are found in the combings after treatment, it’s possible that the head lice are resistant to the particular product, and retreatment should begin as soon as possible with a product from a different active-ingredient group. If the lice are dead, treat again in seven days using the same product. If the treatment has worked, the lice will be dead within 20 minutes. It is possible a head lice product could cause a reaction and should be used with care by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, children less than 12 months old and people with allergies, asthma or who have open wounds on the scalp.

Your pharmacist can advise you on how best to treat head lice and which products may work best for you or your children.