Individual cases of head lice have recently been identified by our school nurses at both the Elementary School and Secondary School. Head lice is a common problem in school environments and fully treatable with proper care at home. Please look through the information on this page to learn how you can effectively treat head lice at home and help prevent their return.

If you have further questions, please contact our school nurses:
Joyce Besha, Secondary School:  872-1482 x226
Colleen DeMuth, Elementary School: 872-2030

A parents' guide to head lice

What are head lice?
How are they transmitted?
What are the symptoms?
What should I look for?
Treatment
     Individual Treatment
     Treatment of Personal Articles and Environment

What are head lice?

Head lice are an infestation of the hairy parts of the body with the eggs, larvae or adults of lice. The crawling stages of this insect feed on human blood which can result in severe itching. The eggs hatch in about 10 days. The female louse can live for 20-30 days and lay as many as six eggs a day.

How are they transmitted?
 

Pediculosis (head lice) are easily transmitted from person to person during direct contact. Head lice infestations are frequently found in school settings or child care settings. Frequent bathing or shampooing will not prevent lice nor eliminate them once they are established. Lice cannot jump or fly and are transmitted by contact with infested persons, their clothing, or their comb or brush.
Children should be warned against sharing hats, clothing, or grooming aids with others. Household pets do not transmit lice.

What are the symptoms?

Usually the first indication of infestation is itching or scratching in the area of the body where the lice feed. Not everyone will experience itching. Often red bite marks can be seen on the scalp and neck. In severe infestations, a child may develop swollen glands in the neck or under the arms. Pediculosis can be spread as long as lice or eggs remain alive on infested persons or clothing.

What should I look for?
 

Lice are small insects about the size of a sesame seed. Usually light brown, the color can vary. They move quickly, and shy away from light which makes them difficult to see. Diagnosis is more often made on Th basis of finding nits (eggs). Nits are tiny, yellowish-white oval eggs attached to the hair shafts.
* Note the old 1/4 inch from the scalp rule has given way to new evidence suggesting that viable (live) nits may be found at any distance from the scalp. As she deposits her eggs (3-5 a day) the female louse cements them to the hairs and unlike lint or dandruff, they will not wash off or blow away. Nits may be found throughout the hair, most often at the nape of a neck, behind the ears, and at the crown. A magnifying glass and natural light may help when looking for them.

Treatment

Prior to treating your child for head lice, consult your health care provider regarding treatment options. For your education the following is a brief overview of the treatment process:

Before one family member is treated, all members should be examined. Everyone should be treated at the same time to prevent re-infestation from one family member to another.

There are several ways to treat head lice, including using an over-the-counter or pharmaceutical treatment. Be sure to follow the directions on the treatment you select.

Typically, you can remove the nits with the comb provided with the treatment option, use tweezers or pull from the hair shaft with your fingernail. While removing nits is a time-consuming task, it is also very effective at preventing reinfestation.

Comb the hair twice daily (morning and night) with the fine tooth nit comb for at least two weeks. Re-check the head in seven to 14 days and again in 21 to 28 days. Eggs hatch every seven to 14 days.

All nits have to be removed before your child returns to school. Your child will be checked by the school nurse upon returning to school after treatment. If nits are still in your child's hair, he/she will have to return home until the nits are removed.

Individual treatment
1. Remove your child’s shirt, provide a towel to protect the eyes. Do not treat in bathtub or shower have child lean over the sink (this confines the lice product to the scalp and neck).

2. Use one of several louse remedies available at your pharmacy. Some are available by prescription, some are over the counter. Call your physician for advice of the treatment products to be used. Consult your pharmacist or physician if you are pregnant, nursing, have allergies, are using medication, discover lice/nits in the eyebrows or eyelashes. No pesticides should be used in the eye area. Avoid applying pesticides when there are open wounds on the scalp of the person treated or on the hands of the person who will apply the product.

3. It takes time and is difficult to remove all nits to insure complete treatment. Louse products do not kill all the nits and survivors. They will hatch into crawling lice within 7-10 days, generating a cycle of self-re-infestation. Nit removal can be accomplished with a special combing tool or by picking them out with tweezers.

4. Following nit removal, have the child put on clean clothing and let hair air dry.

5. A daily nit check is advisable for at least two weeks following treatment and then checking should become part of routine hygiene. Retreat in 7-10 days even if no evidence of new nits is visible or newly hatched lice are seen (unless using a product prescribed by your physician, then follow physician instructions).

6. Disinfect combs, brushes, sport helmets by soaking in medicated shampoo or very hot soapy water.

*Regardless of precautions taken at home, re-infestation from others can still take place.

* Treatment itself can cause itching, do not retreat on the basis of itching alone.

Treatment of Personal Articles and Environment

Machine Wash all clothing and bed linens which have been in contact with the infested person during the last three days. Articles should be washed in hot water and dried in a hot dryer. Non washable items can be vacuumed or dry cleaned.

Bagging is necessary for 10 days for items that can't be laundered. Rugs, upholstered furniture, mattresses and car seats ( and any personal items that cannot be washed, e.g., stuffed animals) can be carefully vacuumed to pick up living lice or nits attached to fallen hairs.

**** The use of insecticidal sprays is not recommended and is strongly discouraged by the National Pediculosis Association (NPA) and the Center for Disease Control because they may be harmful to family members and pets and are of questionable benefit.


Developed by Albany County Department of Health; Division of Health Education and the Division of Epidemiology

For additional information, call the Health Education Office at 447-4648.