Head lice

Alternative Names

Symptoms

• Intense itching of the scalp
• Small, red bumps on the scalp, neck, and shoulders
• Bumps may become crusty and ooze
• Tiny white specks (eggs, or nits) on the bottom of each hair that are hard to get off

Lice on scalp and clothing may be difficult to see, unless the infestation is heavy. If you see something moving, it's called a louse.

Exams and Tests

To see head lice, you need to look closely. Use disposable gloves and look at the person's head under a bright lead. Full sun or the brightest lights in your home during daylight hours work well. A magnifying glass can also help.

Part the hair all the way down to the scalp in very small sections, looking both for moving lice and eggs (nits). Look at the entire head this way. Look closely around the top of the neck and ears, the most common locations for eggs.

Treatment is recommended if even one egg is found.

References

Long SS, Pickering LK, Prober, CG. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier; 2003.

Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R. Principles of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. London: Churchill Livingstone; 2005.

Goetz CG, Pappert EJ. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2003.

Goldman L, Ausiello D. Cecil Textbook of Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007.