Head lice are an established part of school life and as children spend so much time playing and learning together, it is very easy for them to spread. In fact, in the UK, it’s estimated that around eight per cent have head lice at any one time.*

* Thomas, D.R., McCarroll, L., Roberts, R. et al (2006) Surveillance of insecticide resistance in head lice using biochemical and molecular methods. Archive of Diseases in Childhood 91(9), 777-778

Although the emphasis is very much on parents taking responsibility and action, there is still a real and valuable role for schools to play in keeping head lice infestations to a minimum:

What schools can do:

• Help to educate parents on the need to check regularly for lice
• Inform parents when an outbreak has been spotted in the school
• Provide advice materials (available free below) or guide them to their local pharmacists for expert advice on how to identify, manage and treat head lice effectively

A heads up on head lice

• Head lice are small wingless insects that hold onto the hair, feeding from blood on the head
• They live on, or very close to the scalp and don’t wander far along the hair shaft unless stimulated to move to a new head
• They spread through close head-to-head contact and, contrary to common belief, head lice do not jump!
• Anyone can get head lice, although they are most common amongst children aged four to 11 due to the greater levels of physical contact with peers
• Approximately 8% of children in the UK may have head lice at any one time
• The best known symptom of head lice is the itching, which can lead to a loss of concentration and sleep, but this is not necessarily a reliable indicator as many people may not itch when they have head lice

Click on the links below to download or order free resources for your school: