(February 6, 2014)

Transcription

1 Head Lice Management (February 6, 2014) Oak Hill School 4815 Franklin Road Nashville, Tennessee (615) Oak Hill School Head Lice Management 1

2 Table of Contents Head Lice Guidelines The School s Role 3 The Parent s Role 3 School Control Measures Screening 4 Management on the Day of Diagnosis 4 Environmental Intervention 4 Criteria for Return to School 4 Recommended Response Summary 5 14-Day Treatment 6-7 Questions & Answers about Lice 7-8 References 8 Oak Hill School Head Lice Management 2

3 Head Lice Guidelines Oak Hill School will support families by emphasizing prevention, early detection and education as the best methods for controlling head lice. Pediculosis (head lice) represents a common childhood condition, an acknowledged problem with raising and caring for children. Community involvement i s very important, and families must actively participate at home in the treatment and prevention of head lice. The plan established by Oak Hill School is designed to be family friendly and sensitive to individual needs. Our goal is to keep kids in school! The School s Role in Head Lice Management Children will be screened at school if lice are suspected or as a result of a reported case. The screening activities will be at the discretion of the trained health professional in the school. The Parent s Role in Head Lice Management Check children at home for head lice periodically. Notify others who have had close contact with your child in the past 2-3 weeks. Call the school to report head lice and/or nits found on a child. Contact your healthcare provider if two treatment regimens have failed and the child continues to have signs of head lice. Teach children not to share personal items. Follow the 14-Day Treatment. If a student has repeated cases of head lice, proof of treatment will be required prior to student re-entering school. The school nurse will also perform a head lice screening in one week and two weeks after treatment. In accordance with FERPA/HIPPA, school officials may not disclose to any other parent or guardian the name(s) or private health information of affected students. Oak Hill School Head Lice Management 3

4 School Control Measures Screening If it is suspected that a student has head lice, or if a student has a sibling in another division of the school that has head lice, that student and or siblings, will be called to the Clinic and will be privately screened for live lice and nits. If one or more cases are reported or found in one homeroom classroom within a 30 day period, a head lice screening will be per formed on every student in that homeroom. Follow up head lice screenings may be performed when two or more cases have been reported in one homeroom class. Management on the Day of Diagnosis If a student is assessed as having live lice, the parents will be notified and asked to pick the student up from school so treatment can begin. If no live lice are assessed but there are nits (eggs) present, the student may return to the classroom and be monitored by the classroom teacher to prevent the student from having head to head contact with other students for the remainder of the day. The parent will be notified that nits (eggs) were found. The parent may choose to pick up their child early from school for immediate treatment. If a student is assessed to have either live lice or nits, the parents will be notified that the student will require appropriate treatment prior to re -entering school. The parents will be given information on treatment and notified that the student must be check and cleared by the school nurse the following school day before returning to class. Once a student has been assessed as having head lice, confidentiality MUST be maintained so the child is not embarrassed. Environmental Interventions If a case is identified, all household members should be checked for head lice, and only those with live lice or nits should be treated. It is prudent to clean hair care items and bedding of the individual with the infestation. Clothing, furniture or carpeting that have been in contact with the affected person in the 24 to 48 hours before treatment should be considered for cleaning, although survival of lice off the scalp beyond 48 hours is extremely unlikely. W ashing, soaking or drying items at temperatures greater than 130 F will kill stray lice or nits. Furniture, carpeting, car seats and other fabrics or fabric -covered items can be vacuumed. Although it is rarely necessary, items that cannot be washed can be bagged in plastic for two weeks. By that time any nits that may have survived would have hatched, and nymphs would die without a source for feeding. Criteria for Return to School It is the position of The National Association of School Nurses that pediculosis should not disrupt the education process and a child SHOULD be allowed to return to school after proper treatment. After proper/appropriate treatment, the student should be checked by the school nurse the following school day before returning to class. Oak Hill School Head Lice Management 4

5 Recommended Response Summary The school will provide information on the biology of head lice and methods to eliminate infestations. Screening will only be conducted by the school nurse and trained staff. The school will not exclude affected children from or restrict use of certain school items, such as headphones or athletic gear. The school will only notify classmates parents when there is an incident in a classroom. The school will not apply insecticide treatments, but will pursue the appropriate environmental interventions to reduce th e spread of head lice. The child will be allowed to return to school once the f irst treatment has been applied and the student has been checked and cleared by the school nurse. Oak Hill School Head Lice Management 5

6 14-Day Treatment Oak Hill School recommends a 14-day treatment process. You may use over - the- counter products. They are safe and not costly. Mark your calendar to help you keep track of the treatment. The treatment days are scheduled to interrupt the life cycle of the insect. A nit comb should be used to comb the hair and can be bought at most pharmacies. Day 1: Use an over-the counter medicated head-lice shampoo containing pyrethrin or permethrin. Read and follow all directions on the shampoo. Student may return to school after this treatment. Day 2: Comb hair carefully for 15 minutes from the scalp to the end of the hair. Do not wash hair today. Days 3-9: Wash the hair using your regular shampoo. Rinse. Apply hair conditioner to make the hair slippery. Comb the hair the entire length from the scalp to end of hair. Wipe the comb between each stroke with a paper towel, which removes any lice or nits. Keep hair wet while combing. Comb all hair for at least 15 minutes. Day 10: Use an over-the-counter medicated head-lice shampoo to kill any lice that hatched since the previous medication use. Read and follow all directions on the shampoo. Day 11: Comb hair carefully for at least 15 minutes from the scalp to the end of the hair. Do not wash hair today. Days 12-14: Wash the hair using regular shampoo. Rinse. Apply hair conditioner to make the hair slippery. Comb the hair the entire length from the scalp to the end of hair. W ipe the comb between each stroke with a paper towel, which removes any lice or nits. Keep hair wet while combin g. Comb all hair for at least 15 minutes. Oak Hill School Head Lice Management 6

7 Questions & Answers about Lice What are head lice? Head lice are small, wingless insects about the size of a sesame seed. They feed on blood and live within the hairy scalp of the body. A head louse (one insect) can lay up to ten eggs. The eggs are called nits. The nits can be seen along the hair shaft, normally within ½ inch of the scalp. They may appear light brown or gray, but can vary in color. Lice are most commonly found around the ears and along the nape of the neck. Where do lice come from? Head lice are insects that date back many centuries. They do not carry disease. How does a person get head lice? Contrary to popular belief, contracting head lice is not a sign of unclean people or homes. They can occur at any age and to either sex. Lice can be spread during direct contact with a person who has lice. Sharing brushes, combs or hats can also spread lice. It is estimated that 95% of cases are spread through person-to-person contact, while only 5% are spread from indirect contact. Can lice jump? Lice do not have the ability to jump or to fly. They are active, fast -crawling insects. Lice have three strong legs with powerful claws on each side to cling to the hair shaft. What are the symptoms of head lice? Often, the first sign is itching at the back of the head and around the ears. Not everyone will experience itching. If you notice your child repeatedly scratching his or her head, you should examine the head for nits or bugs. How long does it take for a person to develop symptoms? It can take up to 2-3 weeks for symptoms to appear. Some people may never develop symptoms. Should I treat everyone in the family when my child has lice? No. If you are using a lice shampoo, treat only those persons with confirmed head lice or nits. Is it necessary to cut my child s hair in an effort to get rid of lice? It is not recommended to cut the child s hair. Oak Hill School Head Lice Management 7

8 Can I use pet shampoo? Animal treatments are not safe or effective. Do mayonnaise, oil or electronic combs really work in treating this problem? Some people believe these methods are effective in removing nits or bugs, but there is no current scientific evidence to support these practices. What will prevent my child from getting lice? Nothing. You cannot completely prevent your child from being affected by lice. You can instruct your child to avoid sharing personal items with others. Check your child s head periodically for signs of lice. References This policy was developed using information from the following health organizations: American Academy of Pediatrics Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Children s Clinic of Nashville Harvard School of Public Health Iowa Department of Public Health National Association of School Nurses The National Pediculosis Association Oak Hill School Head Lice Management 8