Information about Head Lice (East Ayrshire Council Guidelines)
Head Lice are a common problem in school aged children. They can’t be prevented, but regular checking ensures early detection and treatment if necessary.
Individuals, parents and carers have the prime responsibility for the prevention, detection and treatment of head lice.
Parents and carers should check their children’s head once a week during hair washing. You need your usual shampoo, conditioner, and a detection comb – ask your local pharmacist to recommend a suitable one. Remember that you are looking for living moving lice, the only evidence that your child is infected. The technique for wet combing is shown below.
If you find a living louse, ask your local pharmacist, school nurse, health visitor or GP for advice regarding treatment and contact your child’s educational establishment.
Technique for wet combing
- Ensure that there is good lighting – daylight is best.
- Wash hair with normal shampoo and towel dry until damp and then apply hair conditioner.
- Comb the hair with an ordinary comb to remove tangles.
- Take a section of hair at a time and using a detector comb, begin at the top of the head and, making sure that the comb is touching the scalp, slowly draw the comb from the root towards the ends of the hair. Pay particular attention to the back of the neck and the area around the ears.
- Check the teeth of the comb carefully.
- Repeat steps (4) and (5), working around the head from the top of the scalp to the ends of the hair. The time required to wet comb the whole head can range from a few minutes for short hair to 20-30 minutes for long curly hair.
- When the whole head has been combed through and checked, rinse off the conditioner
