Brush off the hair bugs

Lice often infest kids but a shampoo and a fine-tooth comb can help.

I'm not proud. I'll write about it in a newspaper column: My kids were sent home from preschool with head lice.

Lice are parasitic insects found on hair shafts and live on small amounts of blood from the scalp. The adult louse is no bigger than a sesame seed. The baby lice (nymphs), are smaller and grow into adults after one or two weeks of hatching. The eggs (nits) resemble tiny yellow or brown dots before they hatch. After hatching, they leave behind a white or clear shell. The nits look like dandruff but they don't shake off.

Trying to find the lice in my daughter's thick, curly hair was next to impossible but parting it into small sections and using a flashlight and magnifying glass was helpful. Other common places to look are around the ears and back of the neck.

Often, the school nurse will find them after someone in the class is noted to be infected. They are so contagious among children because they are more prone to head-to-head contact during naps and various activities. Treatment consists of medicated shampoos and cream rinses recommended by your doctor. Fine-tooth combs come with the shampoos for easy removal of the nits and lice.

To prevent re-infestation, the child's recently worn clothing and bed linen should be washed - odds are, the closeness of everyone in the house will necessitate washing all linen.

Soak all hair supplies in medicated shampoo. Things that cannot be washed - favourite stuffed animals and dolls - should be sealed in a plastic bag and banished for two weeks.

A few tips to prevent this annoying problem:

- Tell the kids to avoid head-to-head contact (gym, slumber parties and nap time).

- Don't share hair ties, hats, scarves, brushes or combs.

- Don't lie on bed or furniture of recently infected people.