As children return to school and play close together, lice can be transferred from one child to another. Lice infestations can start when children touch heads together, use hair-contact items such as hats and combs, or lay on a pillow or stuffed animal that has been in contact with an infested head.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say preschool and elementary-age kids and their families are at highest risk. Girls get lice more often than boys. In the U.S., African Americans rarely get head lice.
There are two things to look for when checking for lice. One is the eggs, which are about the size of a pinhead and can be white, brown, or gray. The other is the bugs, which are about the size of a sesame seed. If your child is scratching behind the ears or near the neckline, check immediately.
To treat the infestation, be sure to get rid of both lice and eggs (nits). There are a number of over-the-counter products that will do the job. But there's much more to it than that. You have to wash all clothing and bed linens the infested person touched during the two days before treatment. Wash or dry-clean the child's clothing. Anything that can't be washed or dry-cleaned should be sealed into a plastic bag for two weeks. Scrub combs and brushes with hot water and soap. Vacuum the floor and furniture.