Embedded Files
What is it?
What is it?
Head lice cases are common among school-aged children. An estimated 6 to 12 million infestations occur each year in the United States, most commonly among children ages 3 to 11.
You should examine your child’s head, especially behind the ears and at the nape of the neck, for crawling lice and nits periodically throughout the year. If crawling lice or nits are found, all household members should be examined for crawling lice and nits every 2–3 days. Persons with live (crawling) lice or nits within ¼ inch or less of the scalp should be treated.
REMEMBER:
*They cannot jump or fly.
*They are spread by head-to-head contact.
Educate your child about the importance of avoiding head-to-head contact— like hugging or putting their heads together.
*Head lice does not easily spread to pillows, furniture, stuffed animals, or clothes, but can remain on them for 1 to 2 days.
*Head lice do not infest pets and pets do not spread head lice.
If you have lice...
If you have lice...
Students diagnosed with live head lice do not need to be sent home early from school; they can go home at the end of the day, be treated, and return to class after appropriate treatment has begun. Nits may persist after treatment, but successful treatment should kill crawling lice.
Head lice can be a nuisance but they have not been shown to spread disease. Personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice.
- Getting a prescription from your child's doctors may be cheaper and more effective than over-the-counter shampoos.
The following are steps that can be taken to help prevent and control the spread of head lice:
The following are steps that can be taken to help prevent and control the spread of head lice:
- Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play and other activities at home, school, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp).
- Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons, or barrettes.
- Do not share combs, brushes, or towels. Disinfest combs and brushes used by an infested person by soaking them in hot water (at least 130°F) for 5–10 minutes.
- Do not lie on beds, couches, pillows, carpets, or stuffed animals that have recently been in contact with an infested person.
- Machine wash and dry clothing, bed linens, and other items that an infested person wore or used during the 2 days before treatment using the hot water (130°F) laundry cycle and the high heat drying cycle. Clothing and items that are not washable can be dry-cleaned OR sealed in a plastic bag and stored for 2 weeks.
- Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay. However, spending much time and money on housecleaning activities is not necessary to avoid reinfestation by lice or nits that may have fallen off the head or crawled onto furniture or clothing.
- Do not use fumigant sprays or fogs; they are not necessary to control head lice and can be toxic if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
To help control a head lice outbreak in our school, children can be taught to avoid activities that may spread head lice.
Report abuse