Kids' common conditions: Head lice & nits
Head lice / Nits
What is it? Head lice are small insects and nits are the eggs they leave behind when hatched.
What are the symptoms? Typical things to watch out for are: - Itchy head There are not many other symptoms, which is why they're difficult to detect. Lice are usually passed between family members or close friends, as they have to travel head to head, rather than fly.
What should I do? Make sure you actually have live head lice. You can get rid of them by putting special insecticide lotion on your child's head and also try wet-combing the lice and nits out. Only treat other members of the family if they actually have lice. If you can't see any live lice, you can either try to comb out the nits, or allow them to drop out naturally.
How long will it last? Once you've got rid of them, itching can take up to 2 weeks to go.
When will they get it? Head lice can occur in children of any age, although they're most common in younger school age children.
What if my child doesn't get it? Good for them. Lice can occur in adults, although normally when they live with children.
- Find out more about head lice and nits children
More common conditions
- Appendicitis
- Chicken pox
- Croup
- German measles/Rubella
- Glue ear
- Measles
- Mumps
- Ringworm
- Scarlet fever
- Slapped cheek syndrome
Average rating:
