What to do with a head lice outbreak?

A letter should be sent to all parents, which explains how to identify whether their child has head lice and provides tips on treating or preventing an infestation.

Hygiene tips include:

• Comb the hair every night
• Inform all close contacts if head lice are found
• Use a fine-toothed comb once a week when hair is wet
• Examine children’s hair regularly
• Check clothes and bedding regularly for black specks.
  

Children do not need to be kept off school. The DfEE/DoH guidelines for infection control in schools and nurseries state that there is no need for a child who has head lice to stay away from school. One reason for this is that if a child does have head lice, he or she will have had them at school for several weeks before diagnosis.