Lice protocols (particularly if you live in AZ)

[oncomom]

Im an oncology nurse here and need some help from my fellow nurses working in the schools! My children attend a small private school in Tucson which does not have an employed school nurse, so I am hoping that someone may have a few seconds to answer some questions! My son's classroom of 15 kids (kinder) has been battling lice for about-4 weeks now. Initially, the administrators notified the entire school that lice existed but did not specify the classroom. Four days and 5 cases of lice had passed before I was even made aware that the problem existed in my sons classroom and that was only because a parent called me. No notices were sent to the parents by the school. Parents were upset and a meeting was held to discuss lack of communication. Signs were then put up (reminders to check heads, take home nap mats etc) and notices were sent via email. Then reoccurences within the same families (after treatment with NIX) were detected. I started to volunteer to check heads (I used to volunteer my time helping a school nurse so I know how to identify the lice/nits) with parental consent because the administration would not check and would not allow the teacher to check. Again, no notices were sent. I, myself sent a reminder to parents to keep checking heads, send the girls to school in braids/up-dos and take hats and such home to wash. Of 15 children in the class, 7 children have had lice (all of them girls) and 2 of them have had reoccurence.

I am writing to ask you how you handle lice in your school from day 1, child number 1. I also want to know at what point do you think you may be dealing with resistant lice and how you deal with reoccurences (parent notification etc). Lastly, I am curious to know at what point is school/other (??) intervention necessary if a family continues to send their children to school with lice/nits? Do you have a no-nit policy at your school?

I am new to all of this, Im tired of checking heads, tired of hearing from exasperated parents and would really really appreciated any help. Four parents have called Pima county health department and have received four different answers. The school states that they do not need to report to parents until 10% of the entire school is affected.

Thank you, thank you for any light you may be able to shed on this.

At my nits end,

Alicia

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

i can't answer any of your questions as far as protocols, but as a mom i can tell you how to get rid of the darn things, especially if they're resistant (which you may be in a position to pass on to parents):

supplies: big tub of full fat mayo, fine tooth comb, disposable shower cap, cup of hot water, dish detergent, shampoo/conditioner

put plenty of mayo on head, saturating hair and scalp. you want the mayo almost dripping off of their head. put shower cap on. leave on for several hours. sit down with cup of hot water and fine tooth comb and start combing the now-dead lice out. wash hair with dish detergent before shampooing (it helps to get all the grease out).

it's cheap, it works, and there are no pesticides. you can reapply as often as is needed without worrying about chemicals.

i also know that when dd had lice, we got a note sent home at the initial onset which stated that a child in their classroom had been found to have lice and to be on the lookout. not sure, again, what the regs for this are, just my personal experience.

[mamahuff]

Recent Scientific research has changed the way that lice are handled in schools. Check out Dr. Richard Pollock' s Harvard Website at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/headlice.html Suggested protocols have changed dramatically. There is way more information there than I can begin to tell you.

[bergren]

Alicia

I concur that the Harvard Public Health Website has the clinical state of the art on Lice.

There is also the American Academy of Pediatric Policy:

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;110/3/638

AAP Guidelines for parents: http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_Lice.htm

The National Association of School Nurses:

http://www.nasn.org/portals/0/positions/2004pspediculosis.pdf

How does your school address other health problems without a nurse? Can this episode spur the parents to request school nurse coverage?