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Head lice is a nightmare for every parent with a child in daycare or school. It has nothing to do with how clean you or your child is, it comes from the sharing and closeness at school. The scalp becomes very itchy and red. The head lice must be treated quickly with a head lice treatment before it spreads quickly through the whole family. The itching leads to scratching that can cause a skin infection. Any skin infection is dangerous as it could form a more serious infection within the body.

Children often have difficulty overcoming the stigma that is attached to head lice. They need to be reassured that anyone can contract the bugs, and infection doesn't mean that the child is dirty. If the lice recur often, it can indicate a more serious problem. However, families or children with lice issues shouldn't be ignored, shunned, or embarrassed by others.

An old proverb states, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." This is especially true of head lice. Even after using a head lice treatment to fight a current infestation, re-infestation can occur. Some prevention, such as following certain prescribed steps, can help control the problem in your house. This will serve to help prevent head lice from becoming a continuous problem.

First of all, infected children must immediately be sent home from school and day care centers. Once home, all of the family members should be treated as if they have lice. When finding out how to get rid of lice, one will see that lice shampoo is the most popular and quickest way to get rid of lice. The directions that come with the shampoo are important and should be followed carefully. Every dead louse and egg (also called nits) need to be combed from the hair with a special comb.

As an additional precaution, no one should return to work, school or daycare until all bed sheets, towels and other linens have been washed. The carpets, mattresses and furniture should also be vacuumed. Making sure to remove all traces of head lice is a critical part of head lice treatment. Even a few eggs left behind could start a new outbreak.

Keep in mind that head lice can return. Once the bugs have made an appearance at day cares or schools, weekly checks of the students may need to occur. Most schools already participate in monthly checks, but the frequency of these will need to increase until all signs of lice have disappeared.

Head lice cause itching and redness of the scalp. If a head lice treatment is not quickly administered, skin infections can result where the skin has been scratched. Any skin infection is potentially very serious. At home, all the family members should be treated as if they have lice. Make sure to find out how to get rid of lice, you will find out that there is a special comb that needs to be used in order to get rid of lice, but lice shampoo in conjunction with the comb is the most effective, provided you follow the directions exactly.