Yellowknife (July 21/06) - The nasty little indiscriminate bugs known as head lice don't care if your child is in school or not.

Mary, a Yellowknife mother who did not want her identity known, is waging a war against the little creatures with hot water and medicated shampoo.

"My kids got infected by the neighbour's kids," Mary says.

She says it is an expensive hassle, her kids are miserable and she's racked up the hot water bill, in addition to the expenses of purchasing the necessary shampoo.

"I think they are really uneducated because they aren't cleaning their house properly and they are using Raid on their kids heads."

Laurie Parton, manager of Yellowknife public health, says Raid, an insecticide, is definitely not the answer.

"A thorough shampooing and cleaning is what is needed and using special combs that come with the shampoo to take out the nits," Parton says.

Mary says she is tired of the hassle.

"I have been cleaning and cleaning and cleaning and the kids are miserable."

Mary says more education about head lice is needed for people during the summer months.

Parton admits that this is the case, yet, she says that typically, head lice cases drop during the summertime and pick up in the fall when children return to school.

Parton says that they have a very good educational campaign that targets all area schools.

A detailed pamphlet about head lice is in each school and a nurse meets with teachers at the beginning of the year to let them know what to look for.

When a child is infected by head lice, a letter and a pamphlet is sent home with very specific instructions on how to get rid of the lice.

Though Parton says there often is a stigma about people who get head lice as being dirty and poor, Parton says that myth is fading.

"Head lice don't discriminate between classes of people," Parton says.

"Your hair can be clean or dirty and so can your house.

"As long as your head is warm, they want to make a new home there."

One of the first things someone with head lice must do is purchase special medicated shampoo.

And as well as properly cleaning the hair, sheets and all other personal effects such as bedding and clothes should be washed in hot water. Other things not washable, such as stuffed toys, should be placed in plastic bags for about two weeks.

Parton says any effects which can be frozen should be put in the freezer.

"A thorough vacuuming is also needed of the home," Parton says.

"We don't recommend shampooing the carpet, though it can't hurt."

She says children are most affected in primary school because they haven't developed a sense of personal space and they spend a lot of time in close quarters with each other.

"We also recommend that in the wintertime, children put scarves and hats up their sleeves instead of leaving them hanging around a coatroom," Parton says.

She says to contact the public health office if you suspect your child of having head lice at 920-6570 and speak with a nurse, or visit the website at www.yhssa.org.