Discovering tiny unwanted visitors in your child’s hair can be alarming, but head lice are common and treatable. They are small insects that live close to the scalp and spread mainly through direct hair-to-hair contact. Having head lice does not mean a child is dirty or that their home is unclean.

If you suspect lice, examine the hair carefully under bright light, especially behind the ears and near the back of the neck. Live lice move through the hair, while their eggs, called nits, are attached firmly to individual hair shafts and can be difficult to remove. Dandruff and other debris usually slide or brush away much more easily. Once you confirm live lice, there are several practical steps you can take—and treating the problem correctly can help prevent it from spreading through the household.