Who in this world, that has kids over 6 years old, has not had to deal with head lice? Or known someone that had to deal with them. Before it happens to "your" family, you might have thought "that" problem was only for the lower classes in society. You know, the lazy, sloppy, dirty folks on the other side of the tracks.

Well surprise! Perhaps you discovered the nasty little parasites yourself or far worse, you got a call from the school nurse, asking you to come pick up your lousy kid from day care or school and not bring them back until the problem was resolved! Now that was embarrassing!

Almost all adults and most children have had a louse or many on their head at sometime in their lives. Our teachers, nurses and public care givers are very aware of the issue with lice. These folks are usually the first responders. They look for the indicators and politely request parents to take infected children home and give them the full removal treatment before bringing them back to school.

As a loved one of a lice infected child, you should want to know what the safest and most effective method is for eliminating the lice completely. First, try and obtain the proper information and education about the treatment and prevention of lice. Once you have done that, you are ready to begin the best treatment for your loved one ASAP.

Head or hair lice are tiny insects that thrive on the human scalp. They are not really a serious health threat and they are not carriers of disease. Lice are tiny insects without wings and they are parasites. They live in human hair and feed on blood which they suck from the human host's scalp.

The occasional presence of head lice is a common situation in children of all races and social and economic classes. Generally, the more hair a child has, the more likely they will be to becoming hosts for lice. Many believe that is one of the reasons that they occur more frequently on girls scalps and hair than they do on boys. Although everyone with hair on their head is vulnerable, children between the ages of two and twelve are the most frequent recipients of these unwelcome guests.

Lice move from one human host to another by direct contact. They do not jump or fly - they crawl. There are signs you should always look for if you have children that are around other kids at school, in the neighborhood or in other social settings. Watch your kid's personal habits - particularly watch for them scratching their head. An itchy scalp is a sure sign that there may be a problem.

Lice in all their stages of life are hard to see and can be easy to miss. The itching that usually comes with a lice infestation, can start early or it can take a couple of weeks or more before it begins. How soon the scalp begins to itch is likely a result of how sensitive the skin is.

As quickly as you find out that your child has lice, should be when to start treating them. The wisest thing to do is research the subject yourself and learn what your best alternatives are. It is great to contact your doctor to see what they recommend BUT, do your own homework and thought into it before you go putting chemicals, drugs or commercial pesticides for lice on you child.