by Kay Kentellen

Created on: June 09, 2008   Last Updated: June 11, 2008

I was at my grandmothers. I must have been about five or six years old with long dark brown hair. My mother was talking about an outbreak of head lice at my school and how she thought I might catch them. Suddenly my beloved granny caught hold of my ponytail and snatched the scissors from the table. In five swift snips the pony was no more. "There" she said "Now she won't get them". I can remember crying the whole way home. "Prevention" My granny would say "is better than the cure" and yes in some cases she is right. Like liver disease or skin cancer because of over exposure to the sun. However her "short hair" prevention just allowed other kids to laugh and did not stop the head lice invading.

Unfortunately not much will stop children from getting infected. Yes treating your child as soon as you notice will help, but the lice could have been there for up to a week before you do. Well here are some sure-fire ways to help stop an epidemic and to let you notice quickly.

1. When you brush your child's hair, especially after washing, brush it in sections, with a fine toothed comb. Not only will it help untangle even the knottiest of knots but you may also be able to see the lice and their eggs. Pay particular attention to the base of the neck and behind the ears.
2. Should you notice your child scratching their scalp more often than usual, you should, again, brush their hair with the comb and check between the teeth after every stroke.
3. Should you find lice, ring round any of your child's particular friends' parents. They do need to know. Then go out and buy a bottle of head lice shampoo, available in most pharmacies and supermarkets. Make sure you follow the instructions on the packet carefully and treat both yourself and your children.
4. Contact the school that your child attends to notify them that your child has had head lice and also that you have treated them accordingly.
5. Remember that having head lice is not a shameful thing. Every child will get them at some point. As long as you are diligent and treat them quickly then there should be no problems.

Head lice will not be found lower than the eyebrows. Should you find lice elsewhere then they are likely to be body lice. Head lice and body lice look the same but are treated differently. With body lice one should boil all clothing and bed clothes for five minutes. This will kill off any lice and prevent any eggs from hatching. Regular bathing and the wearing of clean clothes should both prevent and get rid of a body lice infestation.

The other forms of lice found on the human body are pubic lice. Should the lice you find on your child's body not look like a head louse then they could be pubic lice. You should have the infected person checked out by a doctor as soon as possible. There are no know home remedies. However, as before, regular bathing and clean clothes should help prevent pubic lice.

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