Headlice/dandruff

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Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

Any good ways to tell the difference?? Besides that the nits stick to the hairshaft? I've had a couple kids come in lately with bad dandruff, and its so hard to tell. Most of it obviously flakes off easily, but there is so much, I'm sure I could miss a nit or two. And its all on the top of the head, not around the ears and back of neck.

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If this were me. I would look at if the object in question is more than 1/4 inch away from the scalp. But, probably how easily it comes off the hair shaft is the best. Anyway to impress upon the student to make sure he/she washes his/her hair really good that night and you tell them to come back tomorrow for a re-check?

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Do you have the dreaded "no nit" policy? If you don't, and there are no live bugs visible. I would work toward making this a parent problem.

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Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.
make sure he/she washes his/her hair really good that night and you tell them to come back tomorrow for a re-check?

This is exactly what I told my kid today. Go wash your hair tonite and come back in the morning!

Our policy is vague and usually open to interpretation. "A student found to have head lice will be sent home for treatment".

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Nits are tiny and stuck to the head. Dandruff easily wipes off.. I go through the hair with gloves on (rather than the sticks).. I find it easier... usually where there are nits there are live bugs..

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Dandruff usually brushes off; nits don't. I keep a few lice combs in my clinic. When I'm not sure, I comb a section from the usual suspect places. I have a piece of white paper placed next to where I'm combing; I draw the comb through the hair, then tap it onto the white paper. Then I tape what comes out to the paper as I go along. I have a magnifying lamp; I then look at the taped paper and it's very clear which is just dandruff or nits. Live lice are pretty easy to see without doing all that.

In this way, I show the parents what I've found. This eliminates the "I just combed her hair this morning, and there was nothing there" excuse. I clean the combs with boiling hot, soapy water and a toothbrush then air dry.

Works great! I have the info on where we get the combs on-line if anybody is interested.

mc3:nurse:

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