The mere mention of head lice might make feel you itchy and start to scratch your head. However, now that children are back in school, it's a good time to talk about these tiny pests.

Although head lice can infest anyone, children are the most susceptible since they play together closely and share items that come into contact with the head like hats, headphones and combs. Head lice are not known to transmit infectious diseases and are considered more of a nuisance than a health risk. In many school districts, children with head lice are generally not allowed to attend school as long as nits are found in their hair.

An adult head louse is about the size of a sesame seed and ranges in color from tan to gray. While lice can...