in need of help-lice

so for about the past month my step daughter keeps returning with just nits no lice at all when she comes back from her mom. i have treated her hair 3 times and she is clean when she leaves us. the thing is there is never any lice but she will scratch her head like crazy and i have looked spent hours with the comb and nothing. how is she gettings nits but no lice? also any tips on things to use in her hair. we have told her mom but her mom doesnt seem to care as she doesnt even check her head. my step daughter's sister(same mom diff dad) is also getting them. im just tired of doing this like every week and so is my step daughter.