A Head Lice Dictionary

Here is a list of some of the words that you will come across when learning about head lice.

Health Promoting Schools
a broad, coordinated, whole of school approach to addressing the health and well-being of everyone in the school community

Health promotion
the process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health (Ottawa Charter 1986)

Lice
insects infesting human heads - plural of louse

Louse
insect infesting a human head - singular of lice

Nits
common term for the eggs of head lice

Nymph
a young louse

Pediculosis
the scientific name for a head lice condition

Proactive approach
taking the initiative in directing the course of events, rather than waiting until things happen and then reacting

Reactive approach
strategies used to respond to a situation as it occurs

Resistance
when lice have adapted to a chemical treatment product and the product is no longer effective in killing the lice

Scalp
skin of the head (excluding the face)

Spiracles
small openings on the body of lice through which they breathe

TGA Therapeutic Goods Administration
the government body which is responsible for the licensing and registering of chemical treatments in Australia