Head lice—tiny pests that inspire shudders among parents—are incredibly common, especially in kids who are in close contact at school or camp. They have nothing to do with your child’s hygiene or your home’s cleanliness. Anyone can get lice.
“It would be wonderful to combat the stigma associated with lice so that children who have lice aren’t viewed negatively,” says Candace Johnson, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist. “Head lice are annoying, but they aren’t harmful because they don’t transmit any diseases.”
Dr. Johnson answers top questions about head lice, including how they spread, what symptoms they cause, and which treatments work best.
How do you get head lice?
Usually, people get lice from someone else: direct head-to-head contact.
Lice like to stay on a human host because they can’t survive more than a day or two on their own. So it’s less common for lice to be spread by sharing hairbrushes, bedding, clothing, hats, or head coverings.
Since lice only crawl and don’t jump or fly, you can’t get lice from sitting next to someone with lice. It’s also uncommon for lice to be spread through upholstered furniture.
References
Candace Johnson, MD, is an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
