Head lice are a common childhood problem and cause considerable disruption for students and their families, but realize that this is a mild health condition without serious health consequences for children. Head lice cannot be completely eliminated from communities or schools. Neither the occurrence of a case nor an outbreak should be considered as evidence of a breakdown in hygienic practices on the part of individuals, families, or schools.The most effective point of control of head lice is the household. Parents are best suited to screen their children for head lice and to properly treat and control lice within the household.
Head lice are small, elongated insects about this (-) long and are grayish-brown in color. Lice do not jump or fly, nor do they stay alive for long periods of time off of the human head (typically less than 48 hours). Because head lice are good at hiding in the hair, an infestation is usually suspected by finding the nits (louse eggs). Nits are teardrop-shaped, about the size of a typewritten comma, and vary in color from yellowish-brown to white.