THOMPSONSCHOOLDISTRICT-- HEALTH SERVICES

HEAD LICE: GUIDELINES FOR TREATMENT

(Includes excerpt fromColorado Department of Health and Environment)

General Information

Although lice are a communicable condition, it poses no real hazard to health. Younger children with their close proximity to each other are more likely to get it than older children. Schools are not often the place where head lice spread. Sleepovers among friends and relatives are thought to be a common way they are passed from home to home.

  • Lice are not caused by a lack of cleanliness.
  • Lice are no respecter of persons. Anyone can get it. It is most common in children between ages 5- 12.
  • Lice cannot jump or fly. Transmission is by close body contact and rarely, through shared articles (combs, brushes, pillows, etc.)
  • Head lice can be transmitted as long as the lice remain alive on an infested person.
  • The head louse is a human parasite and cannot live on the bodies of pets or other animals.

Recognizing Lice

  • Itching is often the earliest and most common symptom.
  • Bite marks can be anywhere on the scalp, but the back of the neck and behind the ears should be checked first.
  • A feeling of something moving in the hair.
  • Detection of live lice in the hair.
  • There may also be nits (louse eggs) attached to the hair shaft. Nits are laid by the adult female louse and attached with strong cement. A nit is smooth, oval shaped and attached to the side of the hair shaft at the base. Nits range in color from off-white to brown and they are slightly smaller than a sesame seed. They can be distinguished from dandruff and other debris in the hair by their firm attachment to the hair shaft.
  • When discovered, most cases of head lice are already probably at least a month old.

Treatment

  • Shampoothe child'shair(andotherinfestedfamily members)withan appropriate shampooorcreamrinse, which islabeledfor controllinglice.Someexamplesof lice shampoos orrinsesinclude:A–200Pyrinate,Kwell, Nix,Rid,andR& C.Theseandotherproductsareavailableatyourlocaldrugstore, orthey maybeprescribed byadoctor.Besuretofollowtheinstructionsonthelabel!Donotuseremediesorproductsthat arenotlabeled for controllinglice asthesemaynot work,and theymayevenbeharmful.
  • Besureto shampooallaffectedfamilymembersatthesametime!Check all family members and household contacts. Anyone withnits(eggs)inthehairorwithanitchyscalp should betreated.
  • After shampooing,family membersshould change intocleanclothes.Washalldirtyclothing,linens,and towelsin ahotorwarmwash cycle.Non-washableitemsmaybedry-cleaned,or theymaybevacuumedand sealedinplasticbagsfortwoweeks.
  • Soakcombs,brushes,hairpicks,etc.in hot(almostboiling)waterfor atleast15minutes or lice- killingsolution for 10minutes.
  • Vacuum chairs,couchesandotherfurniturewherethe childrensit,sleep, or playin ordertopick-upany loosenitsor lice.Youdonotneedtoapply householdpesticides.
  • Besureto shampooeveryoneonceagain7to10 dayslater!Thetimingisveryimportant.Inaddition, rememberto washdirtyclothes,vacuumfurnitureandtreatcombsandbrushesonthesameday.
  • Tobetteryour chances forasuccessfultreatment,takethetimetoremove nits fromyourchild’s hair, preferablybyusingnit combs whichareavailable atlocaldrugstores.Nitremovalisimportant assomeof the eggswillsurvivetheshampootreatments.
  • To remove nits, the following is a suggested method:
  • Towel hair dry. Slightly damp hair best accomplishes the task of removing nits.
  • Part hair into 4 sections.
  • Start with one section at the top of the head (important because if nit falls to

lower hairs, they will be combed out as comber moves down the hair).

  • The teeth of the comb should be placed in a one inch strand of hair as close to the scalp as possible.
  • Comb in firm, even motions away from the scalp all the way to the end of thehair strand.
  • Pin back the strand with bobby pins or hair clips after the nits have beenremoved.
  • Take each of the remaining sections of hair and repeat combing procedures.
  • Pay particular attention to the area about the ears and nape of the neck.
  • Any remaining nits may have to be removed with your fingers.
  • Short hair is more easily searched for lice and nits (eggs) but doesn’t make the student invulnerable to infestation.

Returning to school

  • A studentwith head lice should not miss school. Shampooing and combing of nits can be done after school.
  • A studentidentified as having head licewill be inspected in the health office for live lice and/or nits upon return to school and again in 7-10 days.
  • Close household and school contacts of affected studentsmay also be inspected for head lice.

To see the research or for more information:

  • AmericanAcademy of Pediatrics
  • HarvardSchool of Public Health
  • Centers for Disease Control
  • Colorado Department of Health and Environment

(12-2012)