Say these five words to parents “Your child has head lice”. The reaction runs the gamut from revulsion to shock to a feeling of repudiation of their parenting skills and ability to keep a clean household; in short it is sometimes viewed as a badge of failure.

Let’s get the facts about this parasite and discuss some of the solutions to prevent and treat this infestation. Due to the growing resistance of head lice to the pesticides used in current treatments, the development of a non-chemical treatment is increasingly necessary.

A study published in the journal Pediatrics, offers an innovative, yet simple solution to eradicating the pests.

• Dale Clayton, Professor, Dept. of Biology, University of Utah, Director, Center for Alternate Strategies of Parasite Removal, Adjunct Curator, Utah Museum of Natural History, Research Associate, Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, Research Associate, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago