If you're a parent you will no doubt have experienced the day when your son or daughter starts to scratch their heads vigorously.
  Your heart sinks as you realize that yes it is head lice and you have to deal with it.
  You wonder if it's something you've done to cause it or something you haven't done to prevent it.
  But the truth is it happens to most children, in fact my daughter suffered from this three times in one year at school.
Catching 'nits' has no relation to being dirty or not washing.
  So rest assured it's not a reflection on how you care for your child.
The main thing to remember is that it's not your fault or anyone else's for that matter.
  It is both preventable and treatable, all you need is the right information and tools.
Causes of Head Lice These are parasitic insects also commonly known as "nits".
Becoming infected with this is more common in children of school age.
  This is because they are in closer physical contact with their friends than adults are.
Head lice can be passed from head to head contact or even through towels, hats and even using someone's hairbrush.
  As 'nits' are very small in size it is sometimes very difficult to see them.
  They become more visible after they have fed because they turn a coppery brown colour.
  This is because they feed on human blood and as they fill up on it they change colour.
If they are not detected soon enough the female continues to lay eggs which can survive for up to one month.
This will become an ongoing cycle as her children will lay eggs and so on.
Prevention and Treatment Using a special comb to check for head lice on a regular basis will help to detect the parasites before they make themselves at home.
  I also tied my daughter's hair up every day so that there was less chance of her hair touching someone else's.
  Also it is a good idea to make your child aware of how to prevent becoming infected.
  They could try to avoid close head contact with other children until the infestation is under control.
There are many treatments available for head lice with a good selection from the local pharmacy.
I have used these on the chemist's recommendation and they have worked very well.
  They are not so pleasant for the child though as it can be a bit messy, and some lotions you have to leave on overnight.
The second step in the treatment is to use the special comb provided to remove the 'nits' when they are dead.