It is easy to get lice.

Lice are spread by head-to-head contact and are much harder to get than a cold, the flu, ear infections, pink eye, or strep throat.

Avoiding lice is important, as they are dirty and spread disease.

Lice do not spread any known disease. They are not impacted by dirty or clean hygiene. They are just annoying.

Head lice are very sturdy creatures and can survive many days off of people in furniture, linens, or clothing.

Head lice need a blood meal every few hours and the warmth of the human scalp to survive. After falling off a person, they will die within one to two days.

Nits (lice eggs) can fall off a person’s head, hatch, and cause another to get lice.

Nits are glued to the hair shaft by a cement-like substance and are very hard to remove. When a nymph (baby louse) hatches, it must quickly have the warmth and food source of a head to survive.

Cutting a person’s hair will prevent head lice infestations.

The length of a person’s hair does not impact his or her risk of getting head lice.

You can get head lice from sitting at a desk next to someone who is infested with head lice.

Head lice are spread through direct head-to-head contact. They do not hop, jump, or fly, so sitting near someone with head lice does not increase the risk of getting lice.

Lice are commonly spread throughout schools.

Transmission in schools is rare. It is more common to get head lice from family members, overnight guests, and playmates who spend a lot of time together.

Lice are commonly spread through hats or helmets.

Head lice are spread most commonly by direct contact with the hair of an infested person. Spread by contact with inanimate objects and personal belongings may occur but is very uncommon.

I can use products other than lice shampoo to treat my student’s hair.

Treat your student with approved head lice treatments. Over-the-counter or prescription products are recommended. Harmful substances like gasoline, kerosene, and vinegar rinses are ineffective and dangerous.

I do not need to comb out all the nits.

Remove all nits! Medicated shampoo kills live lice but not all nits. To prevent reinfestation, all nits must be removed. Nits hatch every 10-14 days, and a second treatment is highly recommended 7-10 days later.

I don’t need to clean my house; I only need to treat my student’s hair.

Clean the surrounding environment. Wash all bed linens, coats, clothing, and backpacks used in the past 3 days. Vacuum mattresses, rugs, and furniture. Secure non-washable items in garbage bags for 2 weeks.