If you have kids, at some point you're likely to need some good head lice information. Lice is very common among schoolchildren, and it doesn't take much to contract them. You'll want to know how to get rid of them -- and how to keep them from coming back.

Where they live

Guess what? The only place head lice live is on the human head. Your cats can't get head lice and give it to you, nor can your dogs. However, your kids can get head lice from other children at school (one of the most common ways they are picked up). The kids bring them home to you and other family members, and your whole household can be carrying lice before you know it.

How you get them

Live adult lice are transferred directly from one head to another. The infested person just has to basically "brush" his or her head against another person's head, and the lice will transfer. Getting a hug from an infested person is one way you can catch it (from adult to adult, for example). One of the reasons lice are so commonly transferred among children is because they spend lots of time in close proximity to each other, playing together. All it takes is a simple "brush up" of one head against another, and presto! Lice are transferred to a previously un-infested head. Lice eggs, or nits, are not transferred from one head to another. But lice procreate so quickly that nits appear very soon after initial infestation.

How to treat them

Treating lice is relatively simple, but requires dedication. Treating them has to be a multifaceted approach, because while lice only live on the human head, they can survive for a day or two on other surfaces (like furniture, bedding, clothing, hats, and so on). In order to eradicate lice completely, you need to thoroughly treat the human head or heads infested with them. At the same time, you'll take a few simple housecleaning precautions to make sure you don't pick up a stray bug or two after beginning treatment.

Lice shampoo

There are good brands of lice shampoo on the market that can be used to eradicate head lice. Some of these shampoos contain neurotoxins, and should NOT be used on children. There are non-toxic shampoos available that can get rid of head lice quickly. These shampoos have enzymes in them that are harmless to humans, but basically dissolve the lice exoskeleton and then loosen the glue that adheres the nits or eggs. This kills the bugs and will allow the nits to be combed out much more easily.

A lice comb

In addition to the shampoo, you'll need a lice comb so that you can comb out all of the nits completely. It's important to comb out the nits, because nits hatch every seven to 10 days. If you don't eradicate the nits, as well as the lice, you're likely to experience a re-infestation very quickly.

A hot washer and dryer

Head lice need to feed frequently to survive. Lice which crawl off a human head will only live for a day or two. So the main focus is on treating human heads. However, a few precuations should be taken at the start of treatment to catch any dying stragglers hoping to crawl onto a new head. All bedding and clothes worn recently should be washed in hot water and dried in a hot dryer. If you can't wash something that you're really concerned about, the simplest way to peace of mind is to seal it up in a plastic bag for a few days so any lice will die. It's a good idea to vaccuum bedrooms thoroughly at the start of treatment.

Rubbing alcohol

Soak all combs, brushes, and anything else that touches the hair in rubbing alcohol for an hour. Follow with a brief soak in hot, soapy water and then a thorough rinse.