NHS warns of head lice epidemic as schools go back- what parents should do

26 September 2023 , 08:45

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The NHS said traffic to its head lice advice page has soared by a third since term started earlier this month (Image: National Geographic/Getty Images)

There has been a surge in parents seeking help treating their kids for head lice as Children in the UK are suffering from an epidemic of the parasites since going back to school.

The NHS said traffic to its head lice advice page has soared by a third since term started earlier this month. To give besieged parents a helping hand the health service has issued advice as to how to prevent and deal with head lice.

Figures released by NHS England, which runs the NHS website, show there were 12,720 weekly visits to the health advice page on head lice and nits last week (15 to 21 September) compared with 9,524 at the start of the month (1 to 7 September) – an increase of 34%, .

Visits peaked on Monday 18 September when there were 2,196 in a day – the equivalent of one click every 39 seconds. Head lice and nits are common in young children and families, and are passed on through head-to-head contact, not dirty hair.The NHS head lice and nits advice page helps people identify the small 3mm insects by showing clear images of lice, as well as photos of the empty shells of hatched eggs, known as nits.

Dame Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: “Head lice and nits are a common issue, especially among young children and families in close contact with one another. Once detected, there is no need to consult a GP, but treatment should begin immediately and all household members should be checked and treated to stop further spread.

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“The nhs.uk head lice and nits advice page provides the latest advice to manage the condition and help keep any outbreaks of head lice and nits under control.” The NHS page provides information on different treatments, such as wet combing using conditioner and a special fine-toothed comb, as well as tips on using medicated lotions and sprays available from pharmacies, supermarkets and online.

It recommends wet combing as the most effective way of treating and preventing head lice by: Washing hair with ordinary shampoo, smothering hair in any type of conditioner, combing the whole head from root to tip with a special fine-toothed detection comb available from pharmacists or online, repeating this process on days 1, 5, 9 and 13 to catch any newly-hatched head lice, checking again that everyone is lice-free on day 17. For more information visit the head lice and nits advice page on the NHS website.

Ben Hurst