Dear Families, 

Some questions have arisen recently concerning lice so I thought I'd share the following information, which has been taken from the CDC to keep your family lice-free. Head lice are small parasites that live on the scalp and neck hairs of their host. They cannot jump or fly, and do not carry diseases. When someone has head lice, it does not mean the person is unclean. Getting lice requires direct contact with an infected person. Head lice need the warmth and food provided by the scalp. If lice do not have that, they will not be able to reproduce and will die within a couple of hours. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics now states that “no healthy child should be excluded from or allowed to miss school time because of head lice”. 

One tell-tale sign of lice is itching, but other symptoms may be present: 

● Tickling feeling of something moving in the hair

● Irritability

● Sores on the head caused by scratching

You can help protect your child from lice by: 

● Checking your student's hair every few weeks for nits or live lice. 

● Discouraging head-to-head contact. 

● Keeping items like combs, brushes, hair ties, hats, etc from being shared. 

If you discover lice on your student, do not panic. Please speak with your pediatrician or family doctor and look for resources online at the CDC webpage. As always, do not hesitate to call with questions. 

Sincerely,

Sarah Sell, School Nurse-Lititz Elementary