Lice Treatment and Prevention

Parents and Guardians have an important role in the treatment and prevention of lice.

Parent or Guardian Responsibilities in the Treatment and Prevention of Lice

Your child was noted to have live lice. Parents or guardians have an important role in treating the lice and from preventing the lice from coming back. See the Fairfax County Health Department brochure for a description of what parents need to know about lice. The brochure is available in the following languages: Arabic , English , Chinese , Farsi , Korean , Spanish , Urdu , and Vietnamese .
Check the hair of everyone in the household, even if they don’t show signs of having lice, such as itching. Have someone check you!
Treatment with a federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved anti-lice treatment should be only used on those people who have live lice. For children under two years of age and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, please consult your healthcare provider for treatment advice.
After the first treatment, complete a Lice Treatment Verification form from the school health room. Return the form to your child’s school health room the day upon their return.
Notify the parents of your child’s close contacts that your child has lice.
Clean clothing, bedding, and soft toys using hot water and hot dryers (for at least 20 minutes). Items that cannot be washed should be sealed in a plastic bag for 14 days.
Vacuum carpeting, upholstery, and car seats. Do not use any pesticides inside your home.
Disinfect all combs and brushes from your household and then wash in hot water daily. Disinfecting is done by soaking combs and brushes in FDA approved anti-lice shampoo for 1 hour or boiling them in water for ten (10) minutes.
Retreat your child after the first treatment according to instructions on the box or label. Return the second Lice Treatment Verification Form to your child’s school health room.
Check and comb your child’s hair with a lice egg (nit) comb to remove nits, every dayfor 14 days after the first treatment.
Continue to check your child’s head every 2-3 days for at least 2-3 weeks.
Contact your healthcare provider for advice if you followed all the steps and your child still has live lice.
Use the Lice Treatment Calendar (below) to help you follow all the treatment steps.

Day 1	Use an FDA approved anti-lice treatment. Follow directions EXACTLY as on product label. Wash clothing, bedding and soft toys. Bag items that can’t be washed in a tightly sealed plastic bag for 14 days. Notify close contacts. Obtain lice verification form from your child’s school health room. Complete the form once the treatment is done.
Day 2	Return the completed Lice Verification Form to your child’s school health room. DO NOT wash your child’s hair with any kind of shampoo. Wet your child’s hair and divide hair into small sections. Use a lice egg (nit) comb and comb your child’s entire head.
Day 3	Use regular shampoo to wash your child’s hair. Follow yesterday’s instructions and comb through child’s hair with a nit comb.
Day 4	Use regular shampoo to wash your child’s hair. Comb through child’s hair with nit comb.
Day 5	Use regular shampoo to wash your child’s hair. Comb through child’s hair with nit comb.
Day 6	Use regular shampoo to wash your child’s hair. Comb through child’s hair with nit comb.
Day 7	Use regular shampoo to wash your child’s hair. Comb through child’s hair with nit comb.
Day 8	Use regular shampoo to wash your child’s hair. Comb through child’s hair with nit comb.
Day 9	Treat your child for a second time with an FDA approved anti-lice treatment 9-10 after the initial treatment or according to instructions on the box or label. Comb through child’s hair with nit comb.
Day 10	Return the completed Lice Verification Form to your child’s school. DO NOT wash your child’s hair with any kind of shampoo. Comb through child’s hair with nit comb.
Day 11	Use regular shampoo to wash your child’s hair. Comb through child’s hair with nit comb.
Day 12	Use regular shampoo to wash your child’s hair. Comb through child’s hair with nit comb.
Day 13	Use regular shampoo to wash your child’s hair. Comb through child’s hair with nit comb.
Day 14	Use regular shampoo to wash your child’s hair. Comb through child’s hair with nit comb. If you still see live lice or lice eggs after you have followed all these steps, you must contact your healthcare provider.