Though bothersome, head lice will not harm children and adults, nor cause illness. Having head lice does not mean a person is unclean or the environment is dirty. Head lice are almost always transmitted from one person to another by head-to-head contact. When a case has been confirmed, it becomes very important for you to check your family immediately. If you find any live lice or eggs, it is absolutely necessary to treat the infection.

Here is how you can check for lice:

In a brightly lit room, look through the hair and scalp for eggs and live lice. Do this by slowly looking through small sections of dry hair. Focus on the hair closest to the scalp. Head lice are typically found around the ears and along the nape of the neck so start examining the head by beginning around the ears and at the nape of the neck and then move onto the rest of the head.

You are looking for two things:

1. Head lice eggs are tiny pale flecks (similar in appearance to dandruff) that will not come off of the hair very easily. Usually they are attached to the hair shaft close to the scalp (if you blow on them and they don't move they are probably eggs). If you have head lice eggs, you need to do a full treatment.

2. Live lice are small brownish-grey insects. They move very fast, so chances are you won't see them. If you find lice, you need to do a full treatment.

Treatment:

After a head lice infestation has been confirmed you can treat at home by combing the hair with a head lice comb (available from your local pharmacy) using conditioner or a lotion or spray that is designed to kill head lice (also available from your local pharmacy). It is advisable to repeat the treatment after seven days.

For further advice and detail on how to treat a head lice infestation, please refer to the NHS website: www.nhs.uk