Contrary to what some may believe, the problem of head lice hasn't gone away in the 21st century.

One in every 14 Canadian households with children has had a head lice problem in the past 12 months.

And it's usually at its worst in the first few weeks of the school year, as youngsters return to classes from a summer's worth of sleepovers, summer camps, and sharing things like sports hats with others.

And even though they don't carry disease or infections, the tiny insects are yucky, they're itchy, and they can make your child's life miserable.

CJAD's medical expert Dr. Mitch Shulman says, while they're more annoying than dangerous, he does recommend parents check their kids if anyone around them has the problem, or if their schools send out a warning about head lice.

'Parental cooperation and coordination of treatment is so important if you want to eradicate it," Dr. Mitch says. "All it takes is one kid whose parents don't follow the rules and don't take care of things properly to keep the cycle going."

And if you child does get head lice, your doctor will be able to recommend effective shampoos and treatments that'll eventually get rid of them.

And part of those treatments may also involve washing things like bedsheets and clothing in hot water, to kill any of the bugs and their eggs.