Schooltime Means Head Lice Time!

There is a good reason why September is National Head Lice Awareness Month. School starting means there will be more cases of head lice infestation found. Head lice are normally symptom less until they have spread throughout the family or classroom. You may first notice a constant scratching especially around the ears or the base of the neck. School and day care settings are perfect places for transferring head lice from child to child. Teachers and parents may need to be especially vigilant against these pests once school has started.

Head lice are not pleasant to think about but there is some good news. They are fairly easy to get rid of, no longer is shaving the head a form of treatment, and lice do not carry infection. Head lice are transferred from one head to another by direct contact. Direct contact can also mean contact with a personal item the infested person has shared with someone. Combs, hairbrushes, hats, and hair accessories are good carriers of head lice. Using the same pillows, nap blankets, or towels as the infected person can also pass head lice. It is important in a day care or schools setting that each child have their own naptime articles. They should not be sharing beds, blankets, or pillows. Each child should have their own storage bin to store personal items. If a storage bin is not available, hooks on the wall for coat hanging should be spaced far enough apart that they would not touch.

Once you get pat the horror of finding out your child has head lice, it is time to take action. Check every member of the family for any evidence of infestation. If they do not have them, don’t treat them! Parents should know that head lice are not caused by poor hygiene, or from being unclean, or because a child comes from a poor family. Head lice have no respect for money or social structure! Having head lice can be an embarrassment to the child and the family but all children are susceptible to head lice.

Head lice can move around swiftly but they cannot jump, hop, or fly. Any transfer of head lice to another host head is by direct contact to the infested person’s head or a personal item that has lice or nits attached. The good news is head lice are not found or passed on by pets. Head lice will only survive on human blood.

Communication is important when a child is found to have head lice. The school will want to inform other parents so they can inspect their children and take action before an infestation gets worse. If you receive a note from your child’s school, camp, or day care, check their head every night over the next seven to ten days.

Remember, it is not the child’s fault they have head lice. Don’t cause unnecessary embarrassment by making a scene if your child is infested. Treat your child and when the nits are gone they can return to their normal routine.