Head Lice - Protocol at camp

babyNP., APRN · Aug 4, 2012

I remember when I was a girl scout in the 90s, any kid who was found with it was immediately sent home no matter what...and I would think especially so if that girl wasn't even following your rules!

wearingmanyhats, RN · Aug 5, 2012

That would be MY rule... call the parents, and home as soon as possible. I work in a school setting, and that is the rule. Once they have been treated, and all the nits removed, they may return.

Liddle Noodnik · Aug 5, 2012

Thanks guys, unfortunately our camp director is a public school principal and believe it or not his school doesn't send kids home! Therefore WE didn't Nor were we allowed to isolate them but rather treat them, and make them wear hats when they went to activities til they were absolutely clear. Their clothing and bedding (including hats) would be dried in a hot drier every day til everyone was clear (we still had one girl who was not clear when she went home). Again this was a 1 week camp but it shouldn't have mattered, they should've been sent home.

Next year tho we are going to insist on head checks before they get on the bus.

amoLucia · Aug 6, 2012

Isn't there some kind of contractual admisssion agreement that parents must pre-sign that would specify the requirement that children can't be a health threat to others in the camp community? The requirement would either be discharge home OR strict compliance to the camp's treatment protocol. I guess if your policy isn't that specific or isn't endorsed by mgt, then you do have a problem.

All I know is that if my kids were to come home with an infestation after a short camp stay, I'd be contacting the camp director (or others) about it!

mama_d, BSN, RN · Aug 6, 2012

I don't have anything to offer as far as the camp situation specifically...but I do know a remedy for lice that nearly always clears the nasty buggers the first time. I have no idea if you could use it or not, but wanted to throw it out there.

Get a jar of regular mayo, slather it on their head saturating their hair and scalp. Wait about five hours (a disposable shower cap works well to minimize the mess), then comb out like you would after using Rid. Something in the fat of the mayo breaks down the chitin of the adult lice and loosens the nits from the hair shaft. Use dish soap to wash the hair with before shampooing to get the mayo out.

It works great, and since there are no chemicals, it can be repeated as soon and as often as needed until no more lice are left.

Liddle Noodnik · Aug 6, 2012

Isn't there some kind of contractual admisssion agreement that parents must pre-sign that would specify the requirement that children can't be a health threat to others in the camp community?

You'd be surprised how sketchy the permission slip is, it just gives permission for us to treat w/ standing orders and for the ER to do emergency care.

I don't have anything to offer as far as the camp situation specifically...but I do know a remedy for lice that nearly always clears the nasty buggers the first time. I have no idea if you could use it or not, but wanted to throw it out there.
Get a jar of regular mayo, slather it on their head saturating their hair and scalp. Wait about five hours (a disposable shower cap works well to minimize the mess), then comb out like you would after using Rid. Something in the fat of the mayo breaks down the chitin of the adult lice and loosens the nits from the hair shaft. Use dish soap to wash the hair with before shampooing to get the mayo out.
It works great, and since there are no chemicals, it can be repeated as soon and as often as needed until no more lice are left.

I heard that a number of times at camp. I'd have to be careful w/ egg allergies but it would be interesting to try.

CloudySue · Aug 6, 2012

The mayo treatment sounds pretty nasty, I would imagine that after several hours it would get pretty sloppy and stinky! Our camp required all campers to undergo a Cetaphil treatment a week before camp. Parents were asked to take a bottle of Cetaphil (the facial cleanser) and drench every bit of scalp and hair with this stuff, then let it sit overnight (8 hrs required). It smells ok and didn't exactly dry but it did get stiff. It washed out in the shower with very little effort. The idea is, it coats any lice and smothers them, since they can go without oxygen for a while, but not 8 hours. Then if they do end up w lice at the check upon arrival, the lice are just the remaining nits that just hatched and one more treatment would do them in before they have their own nits.

Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B · Aug 7, 2012

We use olefcia. A prescription lice treatment on the kids we identify as having lice. We then treat the entire bunk with olive oil and a shower cap overnight. Then we repeat the perscription in one week and the olive oil in three days. We are a seven week long camp though. In a week long camp the kids just have to go.

Liddle Noodnik · Aug 7, 2012

We use olefcia. A prescription lice treatment on the kids we identify as having lice. We then treat the entire bunk with olive oil and a shower cap overnight. Then we repeat the perscription in one week and the olive oil in three days. We are a seven week long camp though. In a week long camp the kids just have to go.

do you get the script from the camp doctor or from the kids' own doctors?

I like this idea of treating the whole cabin! gah I am itching just thinking about it!

Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B · Aug 8, 2012

The perscription comes from the camp doctor. It seemed to work pretty well. Knock on wood...still four days left.

Liddle Noodnik · Aug 8, 2012

Knock on wood...still four days left.

Thanks Al!

so after the 4 days - then what? Vacation for you or ?