Millions of head lice in England have mutated into super bugs which have developed an immunity to nit lotions, it was warned today.  Thousands of children are infected with the super-strength critters, and £30 million a year is spent on lotions to zap the bugs.  But over-use of chemical treatments has added to the problem as 87 per cent of head lice, or 7.2 million of them, are now resistant to the lotions, leaving over 70,000 children infected with super lice that survive a dousing in chemicals.  The Local Government Association, (LGA), recommends wet combing with a Bug Buster Kit, which is available on prescription, to eliminate the lice.  They say the kit, which consists of different sized nit combs for nits and lice, and a white cape to help catch them when they fall out, is up to four times more effective as popular insecticides as well as being cheap and re-usable. One-in-five primary school children suffer from lice every year, and the average infested child has ten bugs living in their hair.  Councillor Les Lawrence, chair of the Children and Young People Board at the LGA said that having nits could affect a child's performance at school, and cause them to have absences while the problem was treated.  He said: "It is high time to eradicate the plague of head lice that swarm through the hair of children starting with better product advice and awareness of the ineffectiveness of some treatments.  "There are no quick fixes in tackling the problem of these blood sucking super bugs and anger often prevails among parents whose expectations of a solution are raised only to be dashed as a result of poor product information.  "Bugs are not only uncomfortable, they are a distraction in the classroom, they affect learning, resulting in many children taking time off to be treated to prevent further outbreaks.  "Councils are committed to helping children fulfil their potential. Prevention is better than cure and regular checks will ensure infection is controlled keeping kids in the classroom and head lice out."   Joanna Ibarra, programme co-ordinator of Community Hygiene Concern said: "In partnership with the Department of Health, we organise the whole-school approach to detecting head lice on national Bug Busting Days on January 31, June 15 and October 31 every year.

"Schools use our curriculum-linked Teaching Pack to get accurate information to parents, they are encouraged to all start together and this helps to stop lice from circulating."  A five point plan launched today by the LGA gives the following advice to parents on tackling nits:

1. Hidden Symptoms - be aware that most cases consist of only a few head lice and no itching, so learn how to detect them early before they spread.

2. Diagnosis - detection combing by parents/family members using a Bug Busting Kit in wet conditioned hair

3. Co-ordinated detection- People living in the same house should also be treated

4. Treat and Monitor - Comb the hair twice a week for three weeks as new eggs may have been laid

5. Warning - Pesticides should only be used if a living, moving louse is found and only after consulting a doctor or nurse. Three common use ingredients found in head lice treatments are Malation, Permethrin and Carbaryl