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Tue 09 Sep 2005Check-upHead lice: Just as I get the children ready for school, the "head lice letter" arrives. Last year, my kids got them and I am not looking forward to all that nit dowsing. How can I stop them catching head lice?Nits, or head lice, are small wingless insects that love nothing more than a clean head of hair. They live close to the scalp where they suck blood from the skin for sustenance. Regardless of age, sex, hygienic standards or length of hair, none of us is immune. Nits are passed by direct head-to-head contact. Small children tend to get closer to each other than older children or adults which explains why the condition is more prevalent in young school children. Long hair should be tied back during school hours and your kids advised against the sharing of head wear or brushes.