Though there is no sure way to prevent a child from getting lice at school, there are a few things that can help keep lice from spreading from one child to another. Depending on how young they are, teaching children about lice and how they are spread is one way to help keep a child from getting lice at school. Children should be taught that sharing anything that comes into contact with the hair can be a way for lice to spread, as can touching heads with other children at school. Tea tree oil can be used to dissuade lice from traveling onto a child's head, though it is not 100% effective. If a child does become infested with lice, proper treatment can help ensure that the lice are not transmitted to another child at school.
The best way to prevent a child from getting lice at school is to teach the child how lice spread from one host to another. As a wingless insect that cannot jump long distances the way a flea can, a louse must crawl from one host to another. Kids who understand how lice are transmitted can keep themselves safe from infestation by avoiding situations in which their heads touch. In the same way, children who learn about the transmission of lice can choose not to share things like hats or hairbrushes on which lice might be present.
Teachers and parents can also help prevent the spread of lice at school by insisting that children follow good sanitary practices. Personal items, such as jackets, hats, and scarves, should be kept separate so that lice cannot crawl from one article of clothing to another. Carpets and common areas that kids lie on should be cleaned regularly, especially if there has been a known case of lice in the school recently. Requiring that children who have lice stay home from school until treatment is complete will help keep the insects from moving to another child.
Tea tree oil can be used to prevent the spread of lice at school. Though this oil can be used as a treatment, it is far more effective as a preventative measure because the odor of the oil is repulsive to lice. The insects may choose not to crawl to children with this oil in their hair. Mixing a few drops with shampoo is the best way to apply tea tree oil to the hair.