Q. We have heard, but only in a roundabout way, not from the school itself, that there are cases of headlice in our children’s primary school. Don’t schools usually inform parents if there are cases? And don’t all the children get treated? I remember the ‘nit nurse’ used to visit mine.

A. When everyone was informed, far too many uninfested children were treated unnecessarily, and that eventually led to resistance to the products used. We only treat known cases now. It’s easy to get rid of headlice. Your pharmacist will advise on products, but you can do a lot with first washing your child’s hair as normal, then wet-combing it from roots to tips with a normal comb, then with a fine-toothed one. The lice will be brought out on the surface of the comb, and you can dispose of them. Do that every two nights for two weeks and you will catch lice and their hatching eggs (nits).