Surprisingly, you don't have to go nuts. Head lice only live for a matter of hours off the scalp, and require temperatures warmer than room temperature to hatch. To be on the safe side, wash and dry (at temperatures of 130F/54 C or more) bedding and clothing that has been in contact with the head of the infected person. Vacuum carpets and vehicle or furniture upholstery. Soak hair accessories, combs and brushes in medicated shampoo or rubbing alcohol for an hour, or just throw them out. Pillows and stuffed animals that can't be washed can be bagged in plastic for two weeks. Pets can't get or transmit head lice.  

What other moms did. Sarah Climenhaga of Toronto took a combination approach when her whole family contracted lice. “The baby's hair was so fine we could easily comb out the few lice that she had,” says Sarah. “I didn't want to use chemicals, so my four-year-old son and I used a large amount of regular conditioner and let it sit for 30 minutes. It seemed to work, but in the end we both decided to get really short haircuts so we could absolutely know the lice were gone!” Sarah's husband used a lice shampoo. They are all lice free. Barbara Gaudette of Ignace, Ontario used over-the-counter lice shampoo four times (for two outbreaks) on her 11-year-old daughter, combined with thorough combing and housecleaning, without success. Her pharmacist suggested a new non-pesticide lotion product that contains isopropyl myristate (brand name Resultz), which kills lice by dissolving their waxy outer covering, and that did the trick. It's currently available in Canada but not yet in the United States.

Check out kids' books like Yikes—Lice! by Donna Caffey or Scritch Scratch by Miriam Moss to help your children understand too.