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PLEASE NOTE:
If there is a case of lice discovered in your child's class, a classroom letter will be sent home to notify parents.
Basic Head Lice facts
The most important step in preventing an outbreak is to check your child's head weekly for signs of infestation. Teach your child not to share hats, scarves, combs, and headbands, or play with each other's hair, as these are ways that lice are most frequently spread. Lice are contagious and anyone, no matter how clean, may become infested.
Head lice are very small (adult size of a sesame seed) dark colored insects that crawl from head to head. They hide from light and are difficult to see. It is easier to spot their eggs or "nits". Nits are tiny, pearly/shiny oval specks firmly attached to the hair. While dandruff flakes, hair spray residue, etc., can be easily removed, nits need to be scraped or picked off. Nits can appear white, gray or brown, and are best seen in sunlight or fluorescent light. Small red bite marks may be visible on the neck and scalp, especially evident around the nape of the neck and behind ears, and some people experience an itchy scalp.
If you find nits or lice in your child's hair, there are several treatment options. Louse killing shampoos (pesticides) as well as non-toxic preparations are available at pharmacies. There are also a number of remedies utilizing household products.
No treatment will kill all the un-hatched lice. All nits must be removed to insure successful treatment.
Combing and nit removal may take numerous sessions to accomplish. A metal nit comb (i.e. LiceMeister) may be helpful with this task.
If lice are identified, each family member should be checked daily for at least two weeks. Treat only those family members who actually have evidence of lice. Follow the laundering and cleaning instruction provided with the treatment product. A brochure is available in the Health Room with helpful instructions and ideas for getting rid of lice. Thorough vacuuming of all carpeted and upholstered surfaces, including the car, is more effective and safer than using sprays.
Please inform the school, day-care and playmates if you have identified and treated your child for lice. Students must be free of live lice and the nits removed before they return to school. Children need to be accompanied to school by an adult and cleared through the health room before they can return to class.
WEEKLY HEAD LICE CHECKS OF YOUR CHILD'S HEAD IS THE BEST FORM OF PREVENTION. Thank you for you cooperation.
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