Simple facts about Head Lice What are head lice? Head lice are small, six legged insects that survive by sucking the blood from our scalps. An unpleasant thought but, contrary to popular opinion, head lice infection is not considered a serious problem in this country and can be easily treated. What do head lice look like? A head louse is 2-3mm long (about the size of a pinhead) and can vary in colour from greyishwhite to brown. Where do they live? Head lice live on, or very close to, the scalp. They do not tend to be found far from the scalp. Who gets head lice? Head lice are a common problem and not something to feel embarrassed about. Around 50,000 to 60,000 people suffer from a head lice infection each year. Most of these are children as they are more likely than adults to have close head to head contact with others. How do you ‘catch’ head lice? Head lice can only be passed on from one person to the next via direct, prolonged head to head contact. They cannot swim, fly or jump and are not caught from objects such as the backs of chairs. 1115

nitnurse.org More information on what to do if you think your child might have head lice, including detection and treatment.

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