HILLSDALE, Mich. – A case of head lice was reported at Hillside Middle School Thursday. School officials are asking parents to check their children for signs of lice.
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Direct, physical, head-to-head contact is the usual method of transmission. Lice do not jump, fly, or swim. They are, however, good crawlers. Check your child's head weekly for lice and/or nits (eggs) as a preventative measure. Mature lice, which are no bigger than a sesame seed, avoid light and are hard to see. Lice eggs or "nits" are usually found close to the scalp – usually within ¼ inch. They appear as tiny whitish ovals that are "glued" to the hair shaft. They cannot easily be flicked away as dandruff can. Head lice do not transmit disease and are not a serious medical condition. They cannot survive on your pets.
If you find head lice on your child, please notify the school and keep your child home until properly treated. Continue to examine all family members for 3 weeks and provide treatment if live lice and/or nits are found.
"Pediculosis is an infestation of head lice, not an infection. It does not pose a significant health hazard and is not known to spread disease. The most common symptom is itching due to sensitization to allergens in lice saliva. Many times there are no symptoms. The public health disease impact from Pediculosis capitis is negligible."; (Michigan Head Lice Manual, July 2004).
Remember, that whenever and wherever children come together for social gatherings, clubs or team sports outbreaks are possible. Head lice have nothing to do with the cleanliness of a house or parenting skills.
Head Lice: Identification, Checking and Treatment Resources
National Pediculosis Association: www.headlice.org
Michigan Head Lice Manual: www.michigan.gov/documents/Final_Michigan_Head_Lice_Manual_103750_7.pdf
Center for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/ncidod/parasites/lice/default.htm.
University of Nebraska: http://lancaaster.unl.edu/pest/lice
10 Steps to Keep Ahead of Head Lice
1) Watch for signs of head lice, such as frequent head scratching. Anyone can get lice, mainly from direct head-to-head contact, sharing hats, brushes, etc.
2) Check all family members for lice and nits (lice eggs) at least once a week.
3) Be sure not to confuse nits with hair debris, (i.e., dandruff, hair spray droplets or hair casts). Nits are yellowish-white, oval shaped and are attached at an angle to the side of the hair shaft.
4) Consult a pharmacist or physician before applying pesticides or other lice treatments if anyone involved is pregnant or nursing, has allergies, asthma, or has nits in the eyebrows or lashes. Never use a pesticide or lice treatment on or near the eyes.
5) Consider all of your treatment options. Remember, lice-killing products are pesticides and must be used with caution. If you choose alternative methods, they may not have been studied thoroughly enough to determine long-term outcomes. The only completely safe alternative is manual removal by combing.
6) Remove all nits. Separate hair sections and remove nits with a lice comb, baby safe scissors or your fingernails.
7) For lice treatment, follow package directions carefully. Use the products over the sink, not in the tub!
8) Wash bedding and recently worn clothing in hot water (above 130°F) and dry in high heat for 30 minutes. Combs and brushes should be soaked in hot water (not boiling) for 10 minutes.
9) Avoid lice sprays! Vacuuming is the safest and best way to remove lice or fallen hairs with attached nits from furniture, rugs, stuffed animals and car seats.
10) Notify your child's school, camp, child-care provider, play partners, and neighborhood parents. Check for lice on a regular basis.
Taken from: The Michigan Head Lice Manual, July 2004
Michigan Department of Education
Michigan Department of Community Health