Hello and Happy Friday!
Fall is here! With the colder temperatures, remember to send your students with the appropriate outerwear for recess. Also, please send your PK-5th grades students an extra of bottoms in the event they become wet/soiled/ or they are incontinent.
Just a friendly reminder that when the weather turns colder and we spend more time indoors, head lice like to make their appearance! We are currently seeing an increased number of students (elementary) with head lice.
Though we can check your student here at school for head lice, the parent or guardian has the ultimate responsibility to ensure children are free of lice and nits and provide treatment if necessary. It is recommended that you check your child’s head weekly for lice and/or nits. Head lice is not something that will harm your child, but it is a pest that can be difficult to get rid of. Per the IA Department of Public Health there is no need for children to be sent home or to miss school, though treatment should be started before returning to school the next day.
Head lice can be found on the head, eyebrows and eyelashes. Head lice feed on human blood several times a day and live close to the scalp, especially around the nape of the neck and the ears. Head lice are not known to spread disease.
Head lice move by crawling; they cannot hop or fly. Head lice are spread by direct contact with the hair of an infested person, like during play at school, at home, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, etc.). Spread by contact with clothing (such as hats, scarves, coats) or other personal items (such as combs, brushes, or towels) used by an infested is uncommon, but can happen.
Head lice survive less than one or two days if they fall off the scalp and cannot feed. Washing, soaking or drying items at a temperature greater than 130 degrees Fahrenheit can kill both head lice and nits. Only items that have been incontact with the head of the infested person in the 48 hours before treatment should be considered for cleaning. Routine house cleaning, including vacuuming of carpet, rugs, furniture, car seats and other fabrics covered items, as well as laundering of linens and clothing worn or used by the infested person is sufficient.
Treatment for head lice is recommended for persons diagnosed with an active infestation. All household members and other close contacts should be checked; those persons with evidence of an active infestation should be treated. Some experts believe prophylactic treatment is prudent for persons who share the same bed with actively-infected individuals. All infested persons (household members and close contacts) and their bedmates should be treated at the same time.
Please refer to:
Head Lice - CDC
For more information
