A sample of a treatment schedule from the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Lice are parasitic insects that spread with head to head contact, and something often seen with young children.

Washington County Public Health nurse Lynn Fisher says head lice do not spread disease. Fisher says cleanliness does not indicate who does and who doesn’t get lice. When removing head lice it is important to follow the steps according to the product bottle. Fisher says many times a second application of the treatment is needed a few days after the initial use. There are some lice becoming resistant, and if a person uses a product twice and it isn’t getting better then a family should reach out to a health care provider for assistance.