Parents, these are the four unsuspecting culprits spreading head lice to your kids.

There’s a first time for many unexpected things, when you’re a parent: a first tsunami poo. A first project vomit. A first cold.

And of course, the first time your child gets head lice.

No child gets away with a lice-free childhood, just as no parent escapes a moment when they realise, “Well, yes, that is a lice egg, not dandruff, and yes, that needs to be addressed – immediately.”

Head lice – those little insects that work their way into hair, feeding off the blood under a scalp and breeding voraciously – are almost a rite of passage for every child, and every parent. Any child who’s interacted with other kids at kinder, childcare, or school, risks exposure to catching head lice. And often, they bring it home and it spreads to the entire family.

In fact, according to MOOV, an Australian market leader in head lice treatment, 50 percent of Aussies are affected by head lice over their lifetime.

Head lice can’t fly, can’t jump, and rely solely on a live human scalp for survival – which is why, for example, they can’t be transferred in swimming pools. So how exactly are they spread? Here are four of the most common ways, which can sometimes be quite unexpected…

An Aussie outdoor staple – the humble hat.

It’s a scenario that happens in childcare centres and schools daily – the kids rush to go outside, and accidentally grab a hat that’s not theirs. Sometimes, it will be the hat of a child who doesn’t know they have head lice, and just like that, the next child does too.

When I take my son out to buy a hat, I’m conscious that 20 kids could’ve tried that hat on too. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

Direct head-to-head contact (selfies included).

Being with children means close contact – and direct head-to-head contact, even if you don’t realise it’s happening.

Kids may put their heads together to look at a book. They may rest their heads right next to each other on a cushion to watch TV, pose for a photo with heads touching, or even bang heads whilst they wrestle.

These are all potential ways to transfer lice from one scalp to another – and why putting longer hair in ponytails and braids can help avoid it.

Hair care, beware!

While head lice need a live human scalp to survive, if a comb, brush or even hair tie is used almost immediately after it's been on an affected head, a transfer can be made. So, if you happen to share a hairbrush with your daughter... it's smart to think twice about that.

The same is likely if a towel is shared immediately after use, and used on both heads - head lice love that.

Clothing, from coats to dress-ups.

Kids often share clothes - scarves, or coats, for example. If it's an item of clothing that has been in contact with an infected head, and it comes in immediate contact with another child's head - or even your own - a transfer of head lice can potentially occur.

This is important to remember even when kids are using each other's helmets, or even playing dress-ups.

So what can parents do if they find head lice?

Treatment can come in the form of:
1) pesticides – to poison, dehydrate or suffocate the head lice and eggs; and/or
2) combing – removal of the head lice and eggs from the hair by combing with a lice comb.

For many Aussie parents, the MOOV Head Lice range is the go-to for its track record in effective, fast and clinically proven* results, using natural essential oils** instead of harsh chemical pesticides.

Depending on your child's age, and whether it's a first application or a follow-up treatment, you can use the solution, the shampoo, or the special removal comb with the combing conditioner.

 

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Don't be afraid to snuggle up on movie night - MOOV Head Lice Solution kills lice fast, so you can spend more time doing the things you love with the people you love. . . Always read the label and use only as directed. If symptoms persist contact your healthcare professional

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This is the plan of attack that MOOV recommends:

MOOV Head Lice Shampoo

Unlike other head lice treatment products there’s no need to shampoo hair after treatment. Simply apply to dry hair, cover with reusable shower cap, leave for 15 minutes and then rinse out like a normal shampoo.

MOOV Head Lice Removal Comb and Conditioner

This helps to easily detect and remove head lice and eggs. Built with strong steel and precisely aligned teeth, MOOV's comb helps catch lice and eggs while the rounded tips and angled handle make it comfortable to hold and gentle on scalps.

MOOV Head Lice Defence Spray

For parents and siblings looking not to catch their family member's lice, could be a game-changer.

MOOV Head Lice Defence Spray is applied as a leave-in conditioner and is sprayed onto children's hair daily for defence against head lice over an eight-hour period. The spray makes hair unpleasant to lice, whilst conditioning the hair.

What's your experience been like with head lice? Got a tip to share? Do tell below!

This content was brought to you with thanks by our brand partner, MOOV Head Lice.

*clinically proven' excludes MOOV Head Lice Defence Spray, MOOV Head Lice Combing Conditioner and MOOV Head Lice Comb.

**'natural essential oils' excludes MOOV Head Lice Defence Spray and MOOV Head Lice Combing Conditioner. Always read the label and use only as directed. If symptoms persist, consult your healthcare professional.