The head louse is a wingless insect that lives on the human scalp and feeds exclusively on human blood. It has lived with us for thousands of years as a species, and most of us have experienced the frustration of having them as parasites at some point in our lives, most often when we were children, when we were most susceptible to being infected. Every year, between six and twelve million Americans deal with having head lice or body lice.

The diagnosis of head lice is relatively straight forward. You can look for lice bites or the presence of shiny white eggs in the hair, but the best way to determine if somebody has head lice is to comb their hair thoroughly with a lice comb and then examine the comb afterwards for the presence of lice.

If you are a parent, be sure to check your child for head lice regularly. Most schools in America have a no lice policy. This means that your child will be sent home if head lice are discovered. They will not be able to return until they have been treated and are lice free.

Lice can be difficult to see and sometimes go undetected for a long time. It is important to check your own child regularly to make sure he or she has not been infected by another child. This is especially important for children between the ages of four and twelve, since this group is most at risk.

Keeping your child's hair short will help him avoid picking up nits. If he does become infected, however, you must wash all bedding and towels and treat his head at least once to get rid of the problem. Do not send your child to school while he has an active infestation, because head lice pass from child to child very quickly. The most obvious clue that a child has head lice is if you see him continually scratching or digging at his head and scalp.

There are numerous different treatments available for a child infested with lice. There are natural products, silicone based lotions, and hot hair treatments that will put an end to the problem. But, no matter what treatment you choose, remember that none of the treatments are 100 percent effective. It is very important to follow up on the treatment to prevent a reinfestation.