How to check for head lice?

Some children with head lice show no signs! Never assume because you child is not itching that they have no head lice. ALL children should be checked for head lice once a week.

Dry Method

1. Situate your child with adequate lighting, either in direct sunlight, under a lamp or use a torch if no other sufficient light is available.

2. Start at the nape (base of the hairline at the back of the neck) and use the tail of a comb to section off approximately 1cm of hair. Check for both adult lice and eggs. Anything that moves should be of concern! The eggs (nits) appear and oval shaped white/beige dots on a hair shaft usually close to the scalp. These may look a little like dandruff, but unlike dandruff they don't brush off easily.

3. Repeat this process from the nape to the crown, then follow the same process from each ear to the crown. Lastly section the hair from the forehead through the crown, checking each section thoroughly.

4. If any head lice or eggs are found the child should be treated. (See our section "How to treat head lice")

Conditioner Method

1. Situate your child with adequate lighting, either in direct sunlight, under a lamp or use a torch if no other sufficient light is available.

2. Apply conditioner to dry hair, ensuring that all hair is coated with a layer of conditioner from root to tip. Massage conditioner through hair and leave for a minute or two.

3. Detangle the hair using a regular comb. For especially long or thick hair, use a wide toothed detangling comb, followed by a regular comb.

4. Start at the nape (base of the hairline at the back of the neck), section off a small portion of hair and slowly comb through the hair with a nit comb. (Independent studies have shown the cheap plastic version to be just as effective as the more expensive metal version)

5. After passing through one section of the hair, wipe the conditioner from the comb onto a tissue, paper towel or white towel. Inspect the conditioner for signs of adult lice and eggs.

6. Continue sectioning the hair and combing through from the scalp right to the tip. Be sure to wipe the comb after each pass through and check for lice or eggs.

7. Repeat the process from the nape to the crown, then follow the same process from above each ear to the crown. Lastly section the hair from the forehead through the crown, passing the come through each section from scalp to tip and wiping the conditioner from the comb after every pass through.

8. If any head lice or eggs are found, the good news is you've already removed some. You will, however, still need to treat the child. (See our section, "how to treat head lice")

 

An untreated infestation of head lice will not go away! The longer you leave head lice the harder they are to treat and remove!