I had a parent call me this morning to let me know her child has scabies and she just knows she got it at school. She knows this because no one else in the family has it, and they aren't a touchy feely family. So the prolonged, skin-to-skin contact necessary to transmit scabies has to have happened at school.
What even? She didn't tell me what she wanted me to do about it, and I explained that I can't go around checking everyone for scabies. Not even sure she wanted me to do that.
So my question is, how do you all handle scabies? This is also eerily similar to some recent lice cases (even though the same kids get lice over and over, clearly I am not doing my job to prevent outbreaks, according to these same parents on Facebook).
I have a confirmed (MD diagnosed) case of scabies in two students, per policy I sent home class notification letters yesterday - not only to those two classes, but to sibling classes as well d/t family situation.
And.....cue the mass hysteria!
i already have one email in my inbox this morning, and am expecting a flood of phone calls over the next several days. I have prepared myself as best as I can with information from the state DOH and the CDC - anybody have any advice?
"I am required to send home letters to inform you of a case of scabies. It is unlikely to be spread at school as prolonged skin to skin contact is not encouraged here. I cannot provide you with any additional information other than what is stated in the letter that you received. Please contact your pediatrician if you have additional questions." Just repeat ad nauseam...
I have a confirmed (MD diagnosed) case of scabies in two students, per policy I sent home class notification letters yesterday - not only to those two classes, but to sibling classes as well d/t family situation.
And.....cue the mass hysteria!
i already have one email in my inbox this morning, and am expecting a flood of phone calls over the next several days. I have prepared myself as best as I can with information from the state DOH and the CDC - anybody have any advice?
Yep just keep repeating what the policy is and what you are doing (hopefully they match )
This reminded me of my parent who was going to call DHS on the school because her daughters kept getting head lice and she and her husband did not have it. OBVIOUSLY it was the school's fault. I had to sit in a meeting with the AP over this.
Perhaps I am a different viewpoint, but I do not exclude for scabies, based on guidelines from top larger neighboring districts and also because I deal with older students.
The chance of spread is lower in my population during the school day (I've never seen spread, actually) - I will refer students out for treatment and cover the affected area if clothing isn't already covering it. But I don't exclude, nor do I send home immediately. But I do ask for proof of treatment and/or proof it wasn't scabies.
Now...if we had a suspected case of scabies in our daycare at my school, slightly different. Baby/toddler would be sent home for treatment (and could not return without treatment/or proof it isn't scabies) and the entire space (one room) may be cleaned depending. Linens that baby/toddler used would be laundered at the very least. But those students touch everything/everyone and roll around on everything and the mites can live up to 72 without human contact.
Oddly enough, I have seen it more times in staff vs. students! Especially staff who have babies at home.
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BeckyESRN
1,263 Posts
"I am required to send home letters to inform you of a case of scabies. It is unlikely to be spread at school as prolonged skin to skin contact is not encouraged here. I cannot provide you with any additional information other than what is stated in the letter that you received. Please contact your pediatrician if you have additional questions." Just repeat ad nauseam...