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If you’re like most people, you’ve always been somewhat familiar with head lice, but never really had a lot of solid head lice information. You figured it was something that happens to other people, and assumed there’s no way you’d ever have to deal with it. You were wrong!

Each year, particularly at the beginning of a school year, legions of families come face to face with head lice. It could be that the school nurse broke the news after a routine check of the school children. It could be that you noticed something awry when bathing your kids. Or maybe it went undetected and now you’ve got the problem! Whatever your situation is, the primary goal now is figuring out how to deal with these head lice.

The simple fact is that most people have encountered lice, whether directly or indirectly, at some point in their life. Perhaps you recall your mom trying to eradicate those pesky little creatures. Maybe you have friends with their own advice. However, since you want to treat the situation quickly and effectively, having the right head lice information is essential.

First, let’s put things in perspective. Head lice are annoying, but the good news is that they are not really that harmful, and they don’t spread any nasty diseases. So, that’s the good news. They are a little insect that live on the scalp and dine on blood they suck, much like a mosquito or tick. So, while they won’t necessarily kill you, the idea of these parasites sucking blood like a vampire is not really all that exciting.

Here’s some handy head lice information for getting a quick handle on head lice infestations. First, keep in mind that children ages 3-12 are particularly susceptible. It also seems that girls tend to be more vulnerable. Signs that might cause concern are repeated scratching of the head, particularly after your children have been in contact with other kids at church, school, etc.

There’s one caveat to using itching as a warning sign. Depending on the child, some kids may not develop an adverse reaction and begin scratching right away. In some cases, it can take several weeks for things to get that bad. In the best case scenario, you would detect the lice before they become so troublesome. However, lice can be difficult to spot during routine grooming such as combing the hair.

When trying to closely monitor for these pests, here’s some additional head lice information. You’ll want to inspect for lice eggs, also known as nits. These can be yellowish in color, or even tan to brown. There are small, so you’ll need to look closely. Once hatched, the shells may be white in color, so the appearance may clue you in to what you’re dealing with.

Nits can be seen with the naked eye, but sometimes they are confused with dandruff. For a simple way to discern the two, just try to brush them off. Dandruff will generally brush loose from the hair. By contrast, the nits will tend to stay put. Additionally, nits are large enough to be detected when rubbed between the fingers. Oppositely, it’s nearly impossible to feel a flake of dandruff between your fingers.