‘Wet-comb hair to search for head lice’

Parents are being urged to screen their children weekly for an age-old pest — head lice — when they return to school from next week.

Because head lice have become resistant to some pharmaceutical treatments, pharmacists are urging parents to “wet comb” their children’s hair to search for lice at least twice a week.

The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), the representative body for community pharmacists, says infestations are most common among children aged four to 11.

IPU vice-president, Kathy Maher, said wet combing was a treatment in itself because the head lice was physically removed.

“Parents sometimes use the treatments but don’t take out the little eggs that are stuck to the shafts of the hair. They hatch and there is a re-infestation,” she said.

Ms Maher said parents who discover that their children have head lice, should alert the school and teachers should arrange for a class to be treated at the same time.

“While head lice aren’t dangerous, they are extremel y contagious and their bites may cause a child’s scalp to become itchy and inflamed,” she said.

“Persistent scratching may lead to skin irritation and, potentially, even infection, so it is important to treat head lice quickly.”

Hair should be treated as soon as possible, but only if live lice or unhatched eggs are present.

“Never treat a child as a preventative measure — it isn’t effective.