As a nurse with the Vicksburg Warren School District, Cindy Nash had plenty of experience treating lice on the heads of children. But it wasn’t until the tiny parasites made a home on her son’s scalp that she truly understood how much of a pain they could be.

&#8220He got it from playing baseball when he was younger,” said Nash, who has been a school nurse for 19 years. &#8220Even after we had warned him not to share helmets, he did anyway.”

And although it’s a common problem among children this time of year – with cold-weather hoods, jackets and scarves – it’s never a comfortable subject to discuss, she said.

&#8220It grossed me out a little, I’m not going to lie,” she said.

Nearly anyone can have them but because of the shape and fineness of the hair, lice only live on the hairs of white people, Nash said.

&#8220It has nothing to do with being clean or dirty. I see it the most often in girls with beautiful, long hair,” she said.

According to kidshealth.org, the head louse is a small, wingless parasitic insect that lives among human hairs and feeds on extremely small amounts of blood drawn from the scalp.

Lice aren’t dangerous and don’t spread disease, but they are contagious and can just be an inconvenience. Their bites may cause a child’s scalp to become itchy and inflamed, and persistent scratching may lead to skin irritation and even infection.

&#8220We see it more in the winter because they can crawl from coat to coat, but they can’t jump,” Nash said.

Lice eggs – called nits – look like tiny yellow, tan or brown dots before they hatch. After hatching, the remaining shell looks white or clear. Lice lay nits on hair shafts close to the skin’s surface, where the temperature is perfect for keeping warm until they hatch. Nits look sort of like dandruff, only they can’t be removed by brushing or shaking them off. Unless the infestation is heavy, it’s more common to see nits in a child’s hair than it is to see live lice crawling on the scalp.

Lice eggs hatch within 1 to 2 weeks after they’re laid.

&#8220We only check the entire class if a child has been reported to have lice,” Nash said. &#8220But even then, we don’t send children home unless they have live lice. The nits aren’t a problem.”

Nash said in any given months, about 10 to 15 students in the 9,200-student district are sent home with live lice.

Lice can be seen by parting the hair into small sections and checking for lice and nits on the scalp, behind the ears, and around the nape of the neck. A magnifying glass and bright light may help.

Lice spread mainly through head-to-head contact, but sharing clothing, bed linens, combs, brushes and hats can also help pass them along. Children and teens are most prone to catching lice because they tend to have close physical contact with each other and often share personal items.

&#8220If a child has lice, we recommend for them to clean everything,” Nash said. &#8220Think about everywhere you’ve been – stuffed animals, hats, bed linens, car seats…”

A pediatrician can recommend a medicated treatment either by prescription or over-the-counter. Treatments vary from medicated shampoos to electric combs that kill the lice through high-pitched sounds.

&#8220They’re not too hard to get rid of, but the important thing is to follow the directions. That’s the key,” said Dr. Gordon Sluis, a pediatrician with Vicksburg Clinic. &#8220You have to follow the directions whether over-the-counter or prescription.”

Sluis said failure to eliminate lice can often come from not retreating as recommended.

&#8220And sometimes there’s a resistance of the organism to the treatment. In that case, switch to another treatment,” he said.

Some home remedies work just as well, Nash said.

&#8220You can use mayonnaise or olive oil or Vaseline and spread it through the hair, put a shower cap over it for eight hours, then wash it out,” she said. &#8220I’ve also heard of using a half water, half vinegar spray, letting it sit for 30 minutes to break down the nits and the casings, then washing it out.”

Sluis said after eliminating the lice, wash anything that had contact with the hair in hot water and dry it in a hot dryer.

&#8220If it can’t be washed, vacuum it or put it in a plastic bag for two weeks. That’ll kill them,” he said.

While it is possible for lice to spread from a child’s head to a parent’s, it’s not very likely, Sluis said.

&#8220The main thing is to diffuse the anxiety. Some parents really stress over it. There’s no need to lose sleep or spend hundreds of dollars on treatment,” he said.

&#8220Lice don’t transmit other diseases. They might be unpleasant, but they’re not dangerous in any way,” Sluis said.