Lice concerns rise as children return to school. Here's what parents can do

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Jacob Anthon demonstrates the use of an FDA-cleared device that uses a combination of airflow temperature, speed, and direction to kill lice and eggs at Lice Clinics of America in Sugar Land, Texas, Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Lekan Oyekanmi)

Children have returned to school and are bringing home stories about the things they learned and the friends they made. But some parents are concerned they could also be bringing home a tiny nuisance — lice.

Though schools are not the only place transmission occurs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says head lice infestations in the U.S. are most common among preschool and elementary-age children.

Since the middle of August when students began returning to school, more people have searched Google for information about the