Additional Advice from Mad Margaret

My first 3 children have had a lot of head lice! There have been many infestations, some worse than others. I vividly recall waiting with my toddler son, while his older brother was at his swimming lesson, and casually glancing at the top of his head. It was crawling alive with little brownish grey insects - they were everywhere. I still don't know how the horrible things could have multiplied to such a degree without my noticing them, but they did. In fact, it was not the worst infestation to deal with. The worst was many years later with my teenage daughter. She spotted them and they didn't really look too bad. It was only when we checked did we find that everyone else in the household had them too, including myself. It took weeks and weeks to get rid of them.

So lessons to be learned... Keep checking heads (particularly the nape of the neck) and don't assume that when your children are teenagers they won't come into contact with them. If you see your child scratching get the magnifying glass out (interestingly, the itching is not a result of the lice biting, but an allergy to them). Don't assume that because their hair is always squeaky clean they'll be lice free - greasy hair is actually harder for the lice to glue their diabolical little eggs to!

Unfortunately there is nothing anyone can do to prevent them, but tying a child's hair back will help - particularly into a plait as well.

The Life Cycle of the Louse

• The Eggs are glued to the hair by the female
• 7-10 days later, the eggs hatch, leaving the empty sacs, known as nits (these are more noticeable). The lice feed on the blood of the child (or adult).
• 6-10 days later, the eggs are now fully grown lice and can reproduce, laying yet more eggs.