Wendy Timmons and her kids have had their struggles with head lice.
She recalls, "It is a nightmare. You know, I had 2 children that had it, and the younger child does not cooperate. They cry, they scream, they don't understand what's going on. You have to tell them - You have bugs in your hair."
Pediatricians say parents should understand that head lice don't spread disease - and they aren't a sign of being dirty.
Dr. Claire McCarthy, a pediatrician, says, "they are much less contagious than most people believe. Head lice do not fly. The heads really need to be in close proximity. You need to share a hat. You need to share a hairbrush."
Dr. McCarthy says head lice don't survive long once they fall off a person,
Doctors say over-the-counter products get rid of lice in the hair, but to prevent re-infestation, you must wash all clothing and bed linens in hot water.
And they urge parents to be patient and persistent. Wendy says it took about a month to rid her children of head lice.
