LANSING, Mich. — School being back in session and the temperatures dropping is the perfect recipe for lice to come out.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said at least six million children between the ages of three and 11-years-old will get head lice.
With Halloween coming up this week kids might not think about the repercussions of sharing wigs and parts of their costumes at school.
Lice is spread through head-to-head contact, so its best to keep children from sharing hats,scarves, hair brushes, and those spooky costumes.
But lice can be sneaky.
In fact, a lot of times kids can get it by hanging their coats in the same area by their classmates.
This is because lice will latch on to shed hair.
According to the CDC lice crawl.
They do not fly or jump so you can't get them from sitting next to someone who has lice.
They can also easily be mistaken for dandruff.
Some dead giveaways a child has it is if they keep itching their head and have small red bumps on their scalp and neck.
Lice will be a lot harder to comb out than dandruff.
But using an over-the-counter medication from the drugstore is a great way to get rid of them.
Doctors recommend using a metal comb with baby oil or mineral oil to get them out as well.
Even though lice do not live after they fall off someone, they should still consider disinfecting their home.
Health officials advise washing sheets and towels, soaking combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes, and vacuuming floors and furniture after someone is found with lice.
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