SACRAMENTO - Head lice are one of the most common childhood ailments that keep kids out of school. Noting that the fall school semester is under way, State Health Director Diana M. Bontá, R.N., Dr. P.H., today advised parents on how to protect their children from head lice.

"Head lice continue to be a problem in homes, day care centers, preschools, elementary schools and wherever young children play together," Bontá said. "Head lice can be transmitted from an infested child to others through hair-to-hair contact or, less frequently, the exchanging of hats, clothing, combs, brushes, barrettes, helmets, scarves, head phones and other personal items."

Head lice are wingless insects about one-eighth inch long, grayish white or light brown, that do not jump or fly. People are the only known hosts. Lice die within one to two days off of a human body. The lice eggs, known as "nits," take eight to 10 days to hatch and another nine or more days for the lice to become adults and lay eggs.

Most schools will not allow children to attend if they have evidence of head lice or nits. Parents who discover that their child has head lice, or has been in contact with another child with head lice, should do the following:

• Thoroughly inspect the child's hair, and the hair of any siblings, close to the scalp, at the neckline and behind the ears.

• Remove daily all lice and nits with a metal nit or flea comb. This step is the most important lice control measure. Several brands of metal nit combs are available at pharmacies.

• Comb the child's entire head every day until no more lice or nits are found.

• Remove any nits that cannot be combed out by either picking them out or snipping the hair between the scalp and where the eggs are attached.

• Use an over-the-counter head lice control product. The active ingredient of choice is permethrin, which is currently in Nix® cream rinse formula. Parents should follow the label directions carefully and not exceed the recommended treatment without consulting a physician.

• Soak combs, brushes, hair bands and barrettes in soapy water for one hour or boil for five minutes. There is no need to apply pesticides in the home.

Following treatment with any insecticide, the lice may still survive for eight to 12 hours before they die. When the treatment fails, it is usually because the nits were not completely removed, label directions were not followed, lice re-infested the scalp or because it was a hair condition and not lice.

Head lice control products containing the pesticide Lindane are prohibited from sale in California beginning in 2002 under legislation signed into law in 2000 by Gov. Gray Davis. Lindane is less effective and has more potential toxicity than other available alternatives.

There is no convincing scientific evidence that vinegar or any advertised compound will dissolve the glue on the nits to ease their removal. Also, there is no scientific data to support claims that mayonnaise or olive oil on hair will "suffocate" nits and lice.

Information on how to control head lice can be found on the California Department of Health Services' Web site at http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/dcdc/pdf/HeadLiceGuidelinesParents.pdf. Consumers can also obtain information by contacting their local health departments.

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