It's easy to confuse nits with dandruff, but nits are attached to the hair shaft with a cement-like glue, not loose like dandruff. Probably from a classmate or a friend or from shared clothes, such as a cap or a baseball helmet. It's a myth that lice are a product of poor hygiene or poverty. In fact, head lice are remarkably egalitarian and can spread and flourish even in the wealthiest communities. Because lice travel easily from one head to another, getting rid of lice and nits right away prevents them from spreading to other family members, allows your child to go back to school quickly, and put your family routine back on track.
Most people turn immediately to commercially available lice, or pediculicide, shampoos.
Permethrin is a synthetic form of pyrethrin, which is derived from chrysanthemums. Avoid products containing lindane for children under 3. Although lice shampoos used to offer desperate parents ready relief, an increasing number of parents say lice are no longer responding. The National Pediculosis Association fields as many as 50 calls a day reporting that shampoos have had no effect, and recent studies appear to document a rise in pesticide-tolerant lice. Some experts recommend asking your doctor to prescribe a 5 percent dose of permethrin, since permethrin still works at higher concentrations.