How can I tell?
Most people do not have any symptoms, so the best way to confirm whether your child has head lice is by carrying out detection combing EVERY WEEK.
These are some symptoms that may be experienced, however none of these can be taken as confirmation of a current infestation.
Only about one third of people will have an itchy scalp - this is due to an allergic reaction to the substance the lice inject before feeding. Itching is usually a sign of a prolonged infestation, probably at least 3 months old!
You may see nits, or empty egg cases, in the hair. These are white in colour and can be found still glued to the hair at any point along the hair shaft, depending on how long they have been there. Nits alone are not confirmation of a current infestation.
You may see small black specks on the pillow or if you comb the hair over a sheet of white paper. If you wet the specks and they turn a reddish-brown colour, these are louse droppings
A very heavy infestation may be seen by a simple visual inspection of the scalp, but for lighter infestations, detection combing is needed in order to find a live moving louse.