Kids' Health: Lice Remedies and Identification

The best way to tell if your child has been exposed to head lice is by checking the head in good lighting—natural sun is best—and by running a fine-toothed comb through the hair. A good lice comb can make a big difference; at the Lice Solutions Resource Network, we prefer the all-metal Terminator.

Lice eggs (or nits, as they are commonly called), can be found attached to one side of the hair shaft, usually near the scalp. They are teardrop-shaped, and glisten as the light hits them. Off the hair they look very similar to a tiny tadpole. Since they are glued to the hair they are not easily removed, and must be manually combed or pulled down the hair shaft. It is important to examine your children on a daily basis for three weeks following suspected exposure to head lice.

Should you find that your child actually does have head lice, exercise caution when treating. While there are many products on the market, we encourage you to choose nontoxic options. Among our favorites are Nit Free (an enzyme-based shampoo) and the HairClean 1-2-3 (a spray-on mist). Keep in mind that there is no easy solution: although these products will get rid of lice at the time of application, no matter what product you choose you will still need to follow up by methodically combing through the hair to look for and remove newly-born lice and their nits.

Once you have treated your child for lice, you should continue to check his or her head for the next three weeks—the duration of the head lice life cycle. Be careful to also check and, if necessary, treat all family members and close contacts to help prevent ongoing exposure. The best way to ensure that your child remains lice-free is to incorporate a habit of regular comb-outs. By combing his or her hair for two to five minutes once or twice a week, you will catch head lice very early on, before it has a chance to become a problem in your home.