Head Lice - Protocol at camp

[Liddle Noodnik]

Our camp is merely a week long. The second day, we found 3 kids with lice! (how did they grow that fast?) One camper was obviously the carrier, she was super infested. Unfortunately she was super uncooperative, too, going to activities when she was not supposed to, not being present for treatments... oh it was frustrating esp. the time factor.

What do you do for isolation? How extensive? What do you keep on hand for the possibility of such a situation?

What was decided was, we would treat the campers, we would make them wear hats when they went to activities til they were absolutely clear. Their clothing, 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)

Along with several other situations, the lice thing was probably the most frustrating. ARGH.

[Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B]

Back to the real world. I have a PDN job most of the year. Camp nursing is a lot of fun. It I don't know if I will be doing it many more years. It doesn't pay the bills or allow for a regular job.

[iwantmore]

Its a tough topic. We also do a one week camp. Last year we did a screening in which we asked the parents about current symptoms/treatment for lice. But, one parent wasn't exactly truthful, and somewhat shady. So, although her children were accepted based on the initial assessment, we ended up sending them home, 3 of them, after doing further assessment.

So, once we identified an issue, we screened all other campers in the same cabins. We found one other camper that was infested and provided treatment, but based on our procedure, the camper went home.

This year we did a lice screen, physically, and one potential camper was not allowed to attend.

Because it is so common in school, our parents treat it as normal, so where do we draw the line?

[nikki_nurse]

The summer camp that I work at, we do lice checks in the evening after the have arrived earlier that afternoon. Any campers who have lice gets their hair shampooed with lice shampoo and combed through to get rid of nits. We then have then wear a bandana until all the lice and nits are gone.

We also put all their bedding into the dryer.

We are a 8 week summer camp, with some campers staying for just the week or some staying for up to 4 weeks. We have found that it works the best to screen for lice at the beginning of camp so we can contain it quickly.

[Liddle Noodnik]

Ugh. I don't even want to HEAR the word "lice" anymore lol...

But seriously, thank you everybody for your feedback / information!!

[jrbl77, RN]

I have worked at a week long camp for the past few years. We do a lice check on all the campers when they arrive. Most arrive with their parents. I don't think we have had any lice, but if we did the camper would be sent home. Staff members do the lice checks while the nurse reviews the health form. If they have a concern, the camper is referred to the nurse. I would have the camp director discuss the child being sent home and any cost issues with the parent.

[Liddle Noodnik]

Thanks JRB! :)

[PNCC2001]

Although lice is a nuisance, it is not truly a HEALTH issue. Do some research. The American School Nurses Association does not recommend that children be excluded from school for lice. As you know, heat kills lice and nits; that is why things that can't be washed are put in the dryer. Several days of using a hair dryer on the hair, accomplishes the same thing, without using toxic lice shampoos and spending hours picking nits. With a hair dryer, lice fall right out of the hair! Nits that are 1 inch or more from the scalp are not viable and do not need to be removed. As a preventative, baby oil or other hair oil can be combed through the hair if there has been an outbreak of lice; the lice therefore cannot attach to the hair shaft.

[Liddle Noodnik]

Although lice is a nuisance, it is not truly a HEALTH issue. Do some research. The American School Nurses Association does not recommend that children be excluded from school for lice. As you know, heat kills lice and nits; that is why things that can't be washed are put in the dryer. Several days of using a hair dryer on the hair, accomplishes the same thing, without using toxic lice shampoos and spending hours picking nits. With a hair dryer, lice fall right out of the hair! Nits that are 1 inch or more from the scalp are not viable and do not need to be removed. As a preventative, baby oil or other hair oil can be combed through the hair if there has been an outbreak of lice; the lice therefore cannot attach to the hair shaft.

The school principal who is also the camp director was really nonchalant about it, whereas, my co-nurse wanted to keep two of the cabins in total quarantine for the week, regardless of whether they were infested lol.. Me, I didn't know. so I really appreciate all this help.

all I can say is what a relief I am not at camp anymore and I have never felt that way in the four (five?) years I've done it.

This really helps, re the hair dryer, didn['t realize that. I did know about the clothes dryer.

thank you so much to everyone who has given feedback on this thread! so, anyone interested in volunteering a week next year? lol

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Ulesfia lotion is brand name of 5% Benzyl alcohol lotion, RX required.

AAP officials said in the report that no healthy child should be excluded from or miss school because of head lice, and “no-nit” policies for return to school should be abandoned.

Expert advice:

Lice | American Camp Association

• CDC: Head Lice Fact Sheet
  
• CDC: Head Lice Treatment Guidelines
  
• CDC: Head Lice Prevention and Control
  
• AAP: Head Lice Management
  

Recommended comb style:

[sharpeimom]

I'm neither a camp nurse or a school nurse, but wanted to add something to the discussion.

I have had seizures since I was 13 months old and my first aneurysm ruptured. I have been essentially

seizure-free for decades because I'm positively neurotic about taking my meds on time, getting enough

sleep, not getting overheated etc.

Two things will cause seizures to this day though. An elevated temp above about 38*C or having even a

drop of the ingredients below come into contact with my skin. Just a drop!

That would make me wary of automatically demanding that every kid MUST be treated with one such

ingredient. The same ingredients are also present in the flea/tick/etc. tx for dogs and cats like Advantage,

Frontline, etc.

Main article: pediculicide

Today, insecticides used for the treatment of head lice include organochlorines (lindane), organophosphates (malathion), carbamates (carbaryl), pyrethrins (pyrethrum), pyrethroids (permethrin, phenothrin, bio-allethrin), and spinosad (spinosyn A and spinosyn D).^[11]

The only agents approved by the FDA for treatment of pediculosis are lindane and malathion.^[12]