The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that head lice are not a health hazard or a sign of poor hygiene, and they are not responsible for the spread of any disease. While a nuisance, head lice are basically harmless. You can catch head lice if your touches the hair of someone who has them; but head lice do move slowly, and your hair needs to be touching someone else’s hair for about a half a minute to catch head lice. Lice are small, wingless insects, which may be white or gray in color. They do not hop or jump from person to person. They lay eggs or “nits” in the hair, especially at the nape of the neck and around the ears. Common signs and symptoms are itching and irritation of the scalp. Close inspection may reveal the insects moving about at the base of the hair, but more often only the “nits” will be found.
This condition, though treatable, can be transmitted in a number of ways. These include sharing of combs, scarves, hats, towels, pillowcases, and/or clothing. Lice are often contracted at movie theaters, gyms, on buses or on planes. A child who has been diagnosed with head lice should be treated before returning to school. Treatment consists of killing the lice by applying a medicated shampoo or rinse to the affected area. Some alternative methods are also available. After treatment, it is recommended that the “nits” be removed with the use of a fine tooth comb.
If a person is identified as having head lice, all household members should be checked for head lice. It is advised to clean hair care items and bedding used by the individual with the infestation. It is only necessary to clean items that have been in contact with the head of the person with infestation within 2 days before treatment, given the fact that louse survival off the scalp beyond 48 hours is extremely unlikely. Machine washing with hot water and hot air cycles should be used, because lice and nits are killed by exposure for 5 minutes or more to temperatures greater than 130°F. Furniture, carpeting, car seats, and other fabrics or fabric-covered items can be vacuumed to remove an infested person’s hairs. Items that cannot be washed can be bagged in plastic for 2 weeks, a duration when any nits that may have survived would have hatched. Dry cleaning is another option for clothing and similar items.
If you identify a case of head lice, please notify the school immediately. We encourage you to speak with your primary care provider regarding the best course of treatment for your child. If your child has long hair, I encourage you to pull it back/up as this reduces the opportunity for head lice to be transmitted between students. Please contact the school staff if you have any questions about this information.