Experts have warned parents to be vigilant this week amid a 15% rise in cases of head lice among children. Head lice thrive in winter, and spike an extra 15% around February half term. A new study by Teaching Abroad Direct has found that searches for head lice treatment have gone up 124.2% in the past two years.

With head lice searches increasing by an average of 29.45% after school breaks, and spiking again by 15% during February half term – this study warns where the UK’s hotspots are and offers expert advice on how to keep yourself and your family safe.

Considering the increase in sleep-overs, and other inside social activities during half-term, the study asked Kelly Court, a Nit-Nurse based in Essex, for her expert advice: “Avoiding head-to-head contact is the best preventive measure as lice crawl from one person's hair to another's during close contact. Avoid sharing personal items like combs, brushes, hats, and even headphones. I recommend parents to keep their children’s long hair tied back and plaited for school.

"Weekly checks with a fine-tooth metal head lice/nit comb are advised to catch an infestation early – especially in months when children return to school after long holidays, like January and September. While they are more common among school-age children, anyone can catch lice and if lice are found, the whole family should be checked. You should advise your child’s nursery or school if lice are found so that the rest of the class can be advised to carry out checks.

"To treat, wet the hair and apply conditioner. Section the hair into small sections and comb the hair with a fine-tooth head lice/nit comb. Comb from the scalp all the way down the hair. Wipe the comb on a white tissue or kitchen paper so that you can see anything that is removed. Comb until no more lice or eggs are seen. Repeat this every few days for two weeks. After treatment you should clean any hair brushes and hair accessories, remove any hair from them and then soak in hot water. Bedding will also need to be washed on a 60C wash and ideally dried in a tumble dryer if possible.

"Unfortunately, lice are becoming much more resilient to over-the-counter treatments. That's why Nit Nurses (like me) who have been trained professionally are increasingly important. We tailor our treatments to the specific needs of the individual – for example, considering hair types and the severity of the infestation. We can also advise on preventive measures and offer ongoing support to minimise the risk of re-infestation.”