With schools reopening this week, pharmacists are urging parents not to panic if their child ends up with a bout of head lice.

Head lice are flat-backed, greyish insects that live on human scalps. They feed by biting the scalp and sucking blood. The female head louse lays up to eight eggs per night and glues them to the base of the hair, close to their food source (blood). These eggs are nits and look like small shiny white bumps on the hair. The lice hatch in about 10 days, but the egg case is left behind to grow out with the hair.

Those affected will usually complain about constant scratching.

One in 10 children in Ireland has head lice at any one time and the vast majority of cases - 80% - occur in those aged between four and 16. However lice ‘are a normal part of life and are nothing to be embarrassed about', according to Bernard Duggan of the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU).

"Our advice to parents is to check their children's hair regularly, ideally once a week. Routine screening and early detection is the best and only prevention to an infestation of head lice, so parents can make it just a normal part of a family's personal hygiene routine like brushing teeth or washing hair," he explained.

He urged parents not to panic if they do find live lice, but also reminded parents that treatment ‘should only be applied if a living, moving louse is found'.

"While it is understandable that parents want to try and prevent an outbreak, using treatment products as a precautionary measure does not work," he noted.

Mr Duggan also emphasised that parents should ask their pharmacist about the best product for their child or family.

"Children of all ages are vulnerable to pesticides, especially those who suffer from asthma, allergies or have a pre-existing skin condition. It is always best to seek advice from a pharmacist on the best treatment to use as there are a number of treatments available. If a child is infested, it is also necessary to check everyone in the family and treat them if necessary. It is important never to use these products if you are pregnant or on infants under six months of age," he said.

He also noted that head lice cannot fly or hop from one head to another. They are only transferred by head-to-head contact.

The IPU offers the following advice when it comes to head lice:
-Check children's hair for lice regularly, ideally once a week. Use a wet comb made for the purpose as this makes the process easier. Good light is important
-Itching and scratching are common signs of head lice. As well as live lice, which crawl around the head, look out for nits which are tiny eggs that may look like dandruff, but cannot be flicked off the hair
-Check close to the scalp, behind the ears, around the nape of the neck, top of the head and under the fringe
-Treat the hair only if live lice or unhatched eggs are present. Treat the child and other family members as soon as possible. Always ask your pharmacist for advice on the most appropriate treatment to use.
-Inform the school and friends when your child has head lice. The school can then inform other parents that there is an outbreak, so everyone can check and treat their own children
-Always follow the instructions on the treatment pack and any advice given by your pharmacist. Products used to treat head lice do not prevent an infection from occurring and should never be used ‘just in case'.