The primary means of diagnosing head lice is finding a live louse on the head. This can be difficult because the louse can crawl 6 to 30 cm per minute. The eggs may be easier to spot. It is important not to confuse nits with dandruff or other hair debris. Nits are more difficult to remove because they are glued on. It is also important not to confuse live nits with dead or empty egg cases. A viable nit will develop an eye spot evident on microscopic examination several days after being laid.
Many schools throughout the country have a policy to screen students for signs of lice infestation. A spike in sales of head lice removal products in August/September after the summer break and in January after the winter break substantiate the hypothesis that many outbreaks are discovered in schools. Many schools have students who are infested with lice and nits remain out of school until they are free of nits. This “no nits” policy results in numerous lost school days for the student and inconvenience for the parent/caregiver. Often a student returns to school and lice are found again because the lice and/or the eggs were not completely eradicated. The cycle repeats itself and causing missed school days for the child, lost work days for the caregiver and embarrassment and frustration for both.
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