Stronger, more resistant bugs dubbed “super lice” are spreading nationwide and millions of parents are finding them on their children's heads.Shannon Lesnevich was mortified last year when she received a call from her child’s school. Her four-year-old son, Soren, was being sent home for having lice.

I was like, "Oh no." "I knew it would take some work to get rid of it," said Lesnevich.

So far, super lice have been found in 25 states

However, many parents like Lesnevich are finding they're not dealing with an ordinary colony of parasites. While they resemble any other lice, these have the ability to survive even the toughest over-the-counter parasite treatment.Scientists are finding that pyrethroids, the common chemical used in head lice treatments, is not killing the super lice.

Sixteen years ago, the chemical worked 100 percent of the time. Yet by 2013, it was only effective in one-quarter of cases.

Last year, a team of researchers discovered the super-strong bugs. Out of a collection of 109 lice populations, 104 had gene mutations allowing them to resist most standard treatments.According to the Lice Clinics of America, a strategy to fight and eliminate them may be available.

“We use heated air and we dehydrate the lice and the eggs in a single treatment," Claire Roberts, CEO, Lice Clinics of America said.

She added that the procedure takes about an hour and costs $170. The lice treatment is FDA approved and some insurance companies will pay for it.

Super lice prevention is the most effective treatment

While nit-picking and combing can still get rid of super lice, the process takes time and repeated treatments. Roberts says the best defense is prevention.She recommends parents teach their kids not to share hats, hairbrushes, or pillows. Since lice are typically exchanged person-to-person, she also says kids should try to avoid close contact with someone else’s hair or head.If lice are found on your child’s head, experts suggest vacuuming any area where hair may have fallen and wash bedding in hot water.

Additionally, parents should put any stuffed animals and clothing in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes.Unlike mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus, these pests do not transmit disease, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Lice, including the super kind, cannot live without feeding on blood for more than 24 hours.
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