Head lice

Head lice

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version

Key points to remember

  • head lice are small insects (about two to three millimetres long) that live on the human scalp
  • head lice are sometimes called nits, kutu bugs, utu, riha or cooties
  • they are common and cause concern and frustration for parents, children and young people
  • anyone can catch head lice
  • they are usually spread amongst school children before spreading to their family members at home 

Where to go for more information

Healthed (Ministry of Health) www.healthed.govt.nz  
Headlice facts: Ministry of Health pamphletHead lice facts (at right) discusses:
  • life cycle
  • looking for head lice
  • when to treat
  • how to treat
  • what does not work
  • what not to use
  • how to prevent head lice and reduce the spread
  • the checklist
  • schools
New Zealand Dermatological Society www.dermnet.org.nz
Head lice fact sheet, discusses various methods for removing headlice (chemical treatments (pesticides); physical methods (combs); other methods) and treatment failure. 
 
Australian websites
 
James Cook University, North Queensland, Australia
  • how do I know if my child has head lice?
  • live, dead, hatched eggs? How can I tell?
  • how do I treat head lice?
  • how can I tell that the treatment has killed the lice?
  • is a second treatment necessary?
  • how do I know if lice are resistant to insecticides?
  • what about the nymphs that hatch between treatments?
  • nothing works!
  • are head lice treatments safe? (discusses how products are licensed and registered in Australia - this sectionis not relevant to New Zealand)
  • what is dangerous?
The website also has:
Department of Health, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
 
Treating and controlling head lice: Department of Health, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
Treating and controlling head lice: Department of Health, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Attached Files: 
Head lice pamphlet (Ministry of Health)
Content endorsed by the Paediatric Society of New Zealand 03 March 2011
© Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 – 2013
Printed on 26 May 2013. Content is regularly updated so please refer to www.kidshealth.org.nz for the most up-to-date version

DISCLAIMERThis fact sheet is for educational use only.
Please consult your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child.