It's nit-picking time again in schools and child care facilities everywhere. And while the nuisances may not be able to be eliminated, educators and care providers are again on high alert to at least control the pesty creatures.
School and child care settings make an easy mark for transferring head lice ("pediculosis") from kid to kid. Adult head lice make nests in the hair of the scalp, nape of the neck, or behind the ears, and feed on human blood. The sesame-seed sized insects are tiny and wingless, and lay eggs (nits) that "glue" themselves to hair shafts close to the scalp.
If that isn't a disgusting enough thought, head lice are easily spread through close head-to-head contact with kids who have head lice or transferred on clothes, combs, brushes or other personal items such as pillows, nap blankets or hand towels. Young kids especially are prone to spreading head lice because toddlers and preschoolers often play in very close proximity to one another. So, once parents are past the "yuck" factor of head lice, what is important to know about them and head lice treatment?
Facts about head lice:
- Acquiring head lice is not a sign of poor hygiene, so that should not be a stigma to the child or embarrassment to parents. Well-to-do kids are as equally exposed to head lice as disadvantaged ones.
- Head lice can move around/crawl very quickly. However, it is untrue that they either jump of fly.
- Head lice are not transmitted from the family pets, so don't look at Fido or Whiskers if your child comes down with a case of head lice.
- While head lice are gross to think about, the good news is that they are easy to get rid of. Most head lice infestations respond easily to over-the-counter treatments containing permethrin (i.e. Nix) or pyrethrins (i.e. Rid). Experts indicate that there is not any one type of pediculocide to use; the key is to be successful in removing both head lice and the nits.
- The procedure for treating head lice and notifying parents may vary, depending on the school or day care facility a child attends. However, the most common way to control head lice is to contact parents immediately if head lice are detected and have the child sent home until treatment has been initiated and nits are removed. Some schools routinely have a school nurse spot check for lice; care providers may also routinely check kids in their care. Parents should be given instructions on how to get rid of the head lice and nits, and if at all possible, be shown the live lice and nits to aid in removal. Parents of the infected kid should be urged to check all other family members and to carefully wash and disinfect all linens, pillows and other items where a child may have laid. Communication to other parents in close contact with the infected child should be made, along with a recommendation to check their child's head carefully each night over the next 7-10 days.
- Adults should be careful not to embarrass the child, and attention given to the matter of head lice should be conducted in a discreet fashion. Keep in mind that it is nothing that the kid did or didn't do--it just happened. After treatment, a child should be ready to return and learn to the classroom or care in no time!
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