Sharon Elementary School

Pediculosis, more commonly known as head lice are small parasitic insects, approximately 2.1–3.3 mm in length, that cling to hair shafts on the heads of human beings. They spend their entire life cycle sucking blood for nutrition. Lice infestations are spread most commonly by close person-to-person contact. Dogs, cats, and other pets do not play a role in the transmission of human lice. Lice move by crawling; they cannot hop or fly. They infest the head and neck and attach their eggs (nits) to the base of the hair shaft. Lice cannot live away from a host for more than 48 hours nor do they carry or spread disease. Regardless of the cleanliness in any given home environment or despite regular hair washing, they persist in being a common problem particularly among elementary and middle school aged children.

Click here to access the Center for Disease Control webpage about head lice.