Obviously, the one surefire method of avoiding lice is to avoid head-to-head contact. Lice can be passed along by trading hats or clothes, putting heads together for selfies, or close contact in the school yard. Once they are present, washing with medicated soap and careful removal of the nits are necessary.

Bugging Out? What Not to Do

Be careful not to use a hairdryer after applying certain scalp treatments. Some contain flammable ingredients, plus a hairdryer may blow away any lice nits, allowing them to come into contact with others. Nits can live outside the body for up to two days.

Use a medicated shampoo and be sure to wash all bedding and clothing that the child has worn or used in the immediate days before a lice notification. This will help kill off any remaining nits. Dry clean things like stuffed animals or anything else that may have come in contact with a child’s scalp or bedding. If dry cleaning isn’t feasible, putting them in airtight bags for three days usually will kill any bugs.

If medicated treatments don’t seem to be working, it may be time to consult a medical professional. In addition to stronger medications available by prescription, a doctor may also recommend some oral medications for particularly tough cases.

One caution: Do not use what are termed “essential oils,” including ylang-ylang oil or tea tree oil. These are touted as lice cures but can lead to allergic reactions. These medications are not Food and Drug Administration approved, and there are no clinical studies to indicate that they have any effect on head lice.

Some people may recommend using gasoline or kerosene on a child’s head to eliminate the lice. The theory goes that these severe poisons will certainly kill off the bugs. Of course, putting a highly flammable and poisonous solution on a child’s head is never a good idea.