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Health
Services
Head Lice
Information
Having head lice can
happen to anyone.
It is not a sign of
having poor health
habits or being
dirty. The
most important fact
to remember is that
the problem should
be quickly treated
because delays will
only help spread the
head lice throughout
your family and
community.
Please check your
child regularly.
The most frequent
and common signs of
head lice are:
Head scratching and
intense itching of
the scalp and neck
with the observation
of tiny crawling
insects about the
size of a sesame
seed, with six legs,
and color of tan to
grayish-white.
Adult head lice may
look darker in
persons with dark
hair than in persons
with light hair.
Nits are lice eggs
laid by the adult
female head louse at
the base of the hair
shaft nearest the
scalp. Nits
are firmly attached
to the hair shaft
and are oval-shaped
and very small
(about the size of a
knot in thread) and
hard to see.
Nits often appear
yellow or white and
easily confused with
dandruff.
Dandruff is removed
easily from the hair
or scalp; however,
nits (eggs) are
glued to the hair
shaft and are very
difficult to
remove-usually must
be pulled all the
way to the end of
the hair shaft by
your fingers or with
a fine-toothed comb.
If your child has
head lice, there are
several
non-prescription and
prescription
treatments available
to eliminate lice
and their eggs.
They can be
purchased at your
local pharmacy, or
call your physician
for his/her
recommendation.
Read and follow the
directions
carefully. A
second treatment is
often recommended 10
days later.
The fine-toothed
comb is often needed
to remove all of the
nits. Please
spend time with your
child combing all of
the nits (eggs) out
of his/her hair.
Put on clean
clothing after
treatment.
Inspect all other
family members for
head lice and
recheck periodically
over the next two
(2) weeks.
If you find head
lice, you must clean
all articles that
might have lice or
nits. Clothes,
towels, and bed
linens should be
washed in hot water
and detergent or
dry-cleaned.
Stuffed animals or
items that cannot be
washed or
dry-cleaned should
be sealed in a
plastic bag for at
least ten days to
two weeks.
Disinfect combs,
brushes, and similar
items by washing
with the special
shampoo. Wash
all book bags and
back packs.
Continue to wash
your child’s bed
linens regularly and
vacuum all
upholstered
furniture and
carpet. Throw
vacuum bags away
after each use.
A student may return
to school only after
the hair has been
treated with a
proven and effective
lice riddance
product and the nits
have been removed
from the hair.
If, upon return of
your child to
school, evidence of
active head lice
infestation remains,
you will be
requested to come to
school for a more
thorough explanation
and demonstration of
procedures to
eliminate head lice.
Your child will be
checked periodically
over the next
several weeks to
ensure that the
treatment(s) were
effective.
Medical
documentation will
be required if your
child continues to
present with signs
of head lice
infestation.
Confidentiality and
sensitivity to you
and your child is of
paramount importance
to us as we work
together in the
elimination of this
condition.
Thank you for your
cooperation in being
proactive to manage
this problem that
can lead to a
disruption in your
child’s learning at
school.
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