Each year when your kids head back to school, there comes along with it the worry that they could once again be exposed to head lice. Head lice are so common that as many as 6 to 12 million new cases will occur every year across the globe, and the majority of these cases are among children in school and their parents. If you have struggled with a case of head lice in the past with your own children, you should know that there is a new threat where head lice is concerned: super lice. Here is what you need to know about super lice as the parent of a school-aged child. 

What exactly are super lice?

When you hear the term super lice you may conjure up some image of giant lice bugs. However, super lice actually looking just the same as regular head lice. The only difference between regular head lice and super lice is the fact that super lice cannot be eliminated with some of the more common forms of treatment that parents have always relied upon if their children get lice. These lice have mutated over time to develop resistance to the usual effective ingredients in things like over-the-counter lice shampoos. 

How common are super lice cases?

There has been a great deal of talk about super lice recently because of the fact that the outbreak has been so severe. In fact, super lice have showed their ugly faces in as many as 25 states across the country, including Texas, Kentucky, Florida, Washington, and even Maine. 

How will you know if your child has contracted super lice in school?

The usual signs of head lice will be associated with super lice just the same. If your child is scratching their head or is complaining that they feel like something is crawling through their hair, you should use a lice & nit comb to check for bugs and eggs. Go ahead and perform the usual treatments for head lice if you do discover an issue. If the over-the-counter remedies do not eliminate the head lice, it is a good indication that you child has super lice and not the usual case of head lice. 

Even though the idea of super lice can definitely be scary, there are treatments available that can remedy the situation. Contact your pediatrician if you suspect your child has a case of super lice and reach out to a lice treatment center for advice on eliminating the lice from your home.