Anyone who has suffered from head lice knows that nits are a big source of frustration. Younger children often catch head lice at schools. This is because lice infestations spread easily from one child to another. Girls have more trouble with lice than boys do, because girls often have longer hair. This gives lice a place to hide.

An itching scalp is the initial symptom of head lice, and you should inspect the scalp for them if you see your child scratching. It is not at all easy to see them in motion, since they are such small creatures. Lice eggs are actually what you should be looking for. The eggs are laid on the hair, close to the scalp. They are generally honey-colored and give the impression of dandruff, but they can not be brushed off and must be plucked from the hair.

To find the nits in your child's hair, have her sit down, and then use a brush to push all of her hair to one side of her head. Start pulling small sections of hair onto the cleared side of the head to examine closely for small insects, eggs, and skin irritations. Repeat the process on the other side of the head. A child who scratches her scalp may cause irritations to become infected. If you find anything that looks like it could be infected, take your child to the doctor as she may need antibiotics to clear it up.

If you find nits on your child's head you will certainly wonder how to get rid of head lice. There are a number of head lice treatments available and often it takes more than one. You should start by putting the child's bedding and stuffed animals in garbage bags and quarantining them for three weeks until any eggs in the bedding hatch and die off. After, anything that can go in the washing machine should be washed thoroughly. Also any clothing that has been worn by members of the household should be washed in hot water or dry-cleaned.

Over-the-counter shampoos that are specially-formulated to eliminate head lice are a good place to start. Unfortunately, some lice have built up resistance to the ingredients in these shampoos. If you find this to be the case, ask your doctor for a prescription shampoo. After the initial washing, the hair and scalp should be washed with the shampoo again a week later to make sure the lice are gone.

Carefully comb through the hair with a fine-toothed comb, and remove any insect or egg that you see. It's easier to do this when the hair is wet. Nits will die quickly after they are removed from the scalp.