New research has revealed that a quarter (25%) of parents would actually consider stopping their child socialising if they caught head lice. The automatic reaction of most parents when they find head lice is to stop their child from going to school or any social events, but this could result in children missing out on education, friendships, and experiences.

Ahead of National Bug Busting Day on October 31st, the research reveals how one in four adults have admitted to catching head lice as an adult, and it seems as if the embarrassment doesn’t stop there. Mums would be more embarrassed if their child caught head lice than if they passed on a bit of family gossip, and only bad language is considered more embarrassing then children spreading head lice to each other.

There are many common misconceptions and myths around head lice, and nearly a third of parents believe that keeping hair short, or washing it every day, is the most effective way to prevent children getting head lice, but this is not the case. Head lice are ‘indiscriminate’ and can thrive on clean, dirty, long or short hair.