By Brandie Valenzuela It seems like school and lice go hand in hand. My own children have been back at school for only a very short time, and there has already been a couple outbreaks of lice. I am thankful that my children have never had lice, but I also believe that us parents can do quite a bit to prevent lice coming into our home. Well, they are not fun, and they aren't cute.
Head lice are tiny insects that lay eggs in the human scalp and live on blood.
Itching goes hand in hand with head lice because the they put their saliva into the scalp. They live for no longer than 1 to 2 days off of people and contrary to what some people believe, they cannot fly or jump. If you notice that your child is scratching his or her head more than usual, you will want to check for head lice. It may seem hard to tell the difference between dandruff, styling product buildup, and head lice, but it really isn't. It is very common for children to get head lice if they are attending school, child care, or playgroups with other children.