• What if my child has head lice??

    If suspected , the School Nurse will exam a student and notify the  parent/guardian of head lice if it has been identified.  Students may be released from school at the discretion of the parent/guardian.  Education and information will be provided for the treatment and prevention of head lice to parent/guardians. 

    Students will  not be excluded from school due to head lice.  The Illinois Dept. of Public Health, Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Illinois State Board of Education all support children remaining in school. 

    AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) offers the following guidance for treating head lice

    Head lice are often a fact of life for school aged children. While inconvenient, head lice cause no medical harm and can be effectively treated. A revised clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), “Head Lice,” published in the August print issue of Pediatrics (published online July 26, 2010), clarifies and updates protocols for diagnosis and treatment, and provides guidance for the management of children with head lice in the school setting.

    Head lice are not a health hazard or a sign of poor hygiene and, in contrast to body lice, are not responsible for the spread of any disease. No healthy child should be excluded from or miss school because of head lice, and no-nit policies for return to school should be abandoned. Informed school nurses can help with diagnosis and suggestions about treatment. Because head lice are usually transmitted by head to head contact, parents should carefully check a child's head before and after attending a sleepover or camp where children share sleeping quarters.

    There are many ways to treat active infestations, but not all products and techniques have been evaluated for safety and effectiveness. One percent permethrin lotion is recommended as initial treatment for most head lice infestations with a second application 7 - 10 days after the first. Parents and caregivers should make sure that any treatment chosen is safe; preferred treatments would be those which are easy to use, reasonably priced, and proven to be non-toxic. All products must be used exactly according to manufacturer's instructions. Your pediatrician can help with diagnosis, treatment choices and management of difficult cases.

    The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.

    For more research-based information to go www.identifyus.com or to www.cdc.gov/lice/head/treatment.html    

    What you can do to help prevent head lice:

    • Discourage head to head contact and the sharing of head accessories.
    • Talk to children about sleepovers and how important it is to have your own pillow and space to sleep so head lice cannot be transmitted from one toanother.
    • Check your children periodically for nits. If nits are found notify your child's close friends and relatives with whom they play or associate. 
    •   Educate and discourage your child from sharing hats, stuffed animals, ear phones, etc. could carry head lice from one person to the next. 
    • Encourage good hygiene and hand washing to all family members.
    • Discourage dress up centers, such as they have in museums, wherechildren share clothing and especially head gear.

     

    If you have any questions please contact the nurse at your school. View the below websites for further information