If lice can't jump or fly

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

then why is my entire class getting lice?

This is what a teacher asked me yesterday. Last week, two of her students had lice. Yesterday she brought me three more to "check their heads". I calmly explained to her that the CDC and the AAP do not recommend excluding for lice and I cannot call the families to have the kids picked up. I DO call all the families to inform them and go over treatment and the importance of daily combing for 14 days. So yesterday when she brought me the three students and asked me that question in a huff, I didn't know what to tell her. What would you have said?

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Specializes in School nursing.

"Two children in your class with lice is not your entire class. And I still cannot exclude students for lice. You are not at risk for disease. I am happy to send you the official recommendations from the CDC. Thank you."

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"Two children in your class with lice is not your entire class. And I still cannot exclude students for lice. You are not at risk for disease. I am happy to send you the official recommendations from the CDC. Thank you."

Oh, no! If your entire class is passing around head lice perhaps we should look at what you're doing wrong in your classroom that allows for this to happen. The CDC and APA agree that, under normal classroom circumstances, head lice unlikely to be spread. Maybe I should come observe you in your classroom to suggest areas of improvement.

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Oh, no! If your entire class is passing around head lice perhaps we should look at what you're doing wrong in your classroom that allows for this to happen. The CDC and APA agree that, under normal classroom circumstances, head lice unlikely to be spread. Maybe I should come observe you in your classroom to suggest areas of improvement.

Ahahhaaaaaa!!!

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They can have a science project and go lice hunting.

Show her our double blind study (OldDude, 2016) regarding lice lifespan, and the other one about mating lice.

Could be a great learning experience!

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Thankful for giggles this morning. I am tucking away these tidbits of wisdom for future use :-)

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Hematology Oncology, School Nurse.

I would suggest the teacher consider the following that I have seen happen in our classrooms: in our 4th & 5th grade classes, the students do not have cubbies or a place to hang their backpacks so everyone's backpacks get tossed in a pile by the classroom door each morning. Ugh! Same thing happens with jackets/coats! Double ugh!

Also, some of the teachers have "flexible seating" which means they have fun egg-shaped chairs or bean bags that the students can choose to sit in during independent work or reading. Ugh!

These things make me completely cringe when I think about lice in the classroom. Ugh, ugh, ugh!

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Just a reminder...lice transmission from person to person is unlikely by any method other than direct head to head contact; not backpacks, jackets, headphone, helmets, movie seats, etc. A louse is not going to choose to crawl from a blood source to an inanimate object. If a louse falls off a head it is in a death spiral.

And I would tell the teacher to get over it. Be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem; educate and follow up with the students instead of fanning the flames of hysteria.

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Just a reminder...lice transmission from person to person is unlikely by any method other than direct head to head contact; not backpacks, jackets, headphone, helmets, movie seats, etc. A louse is not going to choose to crawl from a blood source to an inanimate object. If a louse falls off a head it is in a death spiral.

And I would tell the teacher to get over it. Be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem; educate and follow up with the students instead of fanning the flames of hysteria.

DEATH SPIRAL!!!:nailbiting:

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
I would suggest the teacher consider the following that I have seen happen in our classrooms: in our 4th & 5th grade classes, the students do not have cubbies or a place to hang their backpacks so everyone's backpacks get tossed in a pile by the classroom door each morning. Ugh! Same thing happens with jackets/coats! Double ugh!

Also, some of the teachers have "flexible seating" which means they have fun egg-shaped chairs or bean bags that the students can choose to sit in during independent work or reading. Ugh!

These things make me completely cringe when I think about lice in the classroom. Ugh, ugh, ugh!

My school has morning meetings where students from the whole school are head to head, interpreted hair to hair, doing challenges and projects.

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My school has morning meetings where students from the whole school are head to head, interpreted hair to hair, doing challenges and projects.

But you're in a private school, right? Everyone knows only public school kids get lice. I mean, just ask the private school parents in my area, they'll tell you;)

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
But you're in a private school, right? Everyone knows only public school kids get lice. I mean, just ask the private school parents in my area, they'll tell you;)

I dealt with it the first month I was here. My principals wanted the whole school screened, only 85 students then, but what a hassle. Most of the victims were staff kids.

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