Lice…creepy…crawly…suck your blood critters who love to multiply in human hair! If that doesn’t give you the heebie jeebies, well….then….you must be a School Nurse!
But it’s true. Lice tend to create a stir and panic among parents. They have a stigma of filth or poverty…but it just isn’t true. Lice can happen to anyone…yes, even the School Nurse. The good news is that Lice is rarely spread at school. Lice don’t “jump” or “fly” and can’t be caught by simply sitting next to another student in class. There needs to be head to head contact. Since lice are a common problem in school-aged children here is some information, tips and pointers:
What the school does:
Depending on the school, lice policies range from a “no nit” to “no lice policy”. A “no nit” policy means that any child found with nits, will be sent home; versus a “no lice” policy means that if a child is found with a live louse, they will be sent home. So, the big difference is this: with a “no lice” policy the child can have nits and remain in school. The good news is nits that are farther from 1cm from the scalp are not usually viable. So, as long as the child is retreated in 7-10 days, that would kill any stragglers.
The school will also check entire classes if more than 2-3 children in the same class have a case of lice; but check your school’s policy.
What the parent should do:
DON’T panic! DON’T cause a panic! And PLEASE DON’T start making accusations like, “I know so-and-so gave my kid lice”. The truth is, you need to ask to see if any of the cousins who slept over the other night have been itchy, because that’s more likely.
So what you should really do:
1. Check all family members. (If one of you has it, its likely someone else does too).
2. Speak with your pediatrician or pharmacist about lice treatments. There is no proof that olive oil, tea tree oil, lotions, mayonnaise, or vinegar will kill or get rid of lice.
3. Once treating, follow the directions EXACTLY, to a TEE!
4. Wash clothing and bedding in hot water and dry on high heat.
5. Anything that can’t be washed should be placed in a sealed, plastic bag for 2 weeks! (The live lice need to die, and the nits that hatch need to die!)
6. Vacuum carpets and furniture.
7. Boil combs, brushes, and hair bands for at least 5 minutes, or let them soak in rubbing alcohol or lysol for one hour.
8. Don’t forget to retreat in 7-10 days. Those eggs are going to hatch and you’ll have another flare up of the buggers.
Originally published @ http://schoolnurselife.tumblr.com/post/79825412096/lice-creepy-crawly-suck-your-blood-critters-who on March 14, 2014
