Head Lice - PowerPoint

							Head Lice in
  Schools



               August 2012
Objectives: After this presentation,
school staff will:



   Identify at least 3 facts about head lice
   Describe management of possible head lice
    infestation in the classroom according to
    Asheboro City Schools Head Lice Nursing
    Intervention.
Head Lice: Historical Perspective

   Lice have been our companions since ancient times
    & have so befriended us, they can’t live without us.
   Lice likely co-evolved with people; claws are well
    adapted to grasping the hair shaft.
   Lice are host specific parasites so human lice don’t
    live on other animals.
   Lice must feed off scalp, so they die within 24 hours
    of separation from human hosts; if they have fallen
    off hair, they are at the end of the life cycle.
Head Lice: What are They?

   A head louse is an insect that lives on the human
    scalp and feeds on blood. They will congregate in all
    areas of the head but particularly at the nape of the
    neck or around the ears
   Head lice hatch from small eggs (nits) that are
    attached with a cement like substance to the shaft of
    individual hairs.
   Eggs hatch in about 7-10 days. Once hatched the
    head louse matures in less than 2 weeks
Head Lice Facts: (cont’d)
   Head lice infestation cause intense itching of the
    scalp.
   Head lice are not known to naturally transmit
    microbes that cause disease.
   The greatest harm associated with head lice results
    from the well-intentioned but misguided use of
    caustic or toxic substances to eliminate the lice.
   Traditional pediculicides and alternative methods are
    frequently over-applied and can cause harm to
    students
Head Lice: How do we get them?

   The most common means of transmission is
    through physical/direct (head to head) contact!!
   Head lice CANNOT jump or fly!
   Indirect transmission is uncommon but may
    occur via shared combs, brushes, hats, and hair
    accessories that have been in contact with an
    infested person.
   Rarely, through shared helmets – don’t live on
    helmets alone.
   Schools are not a common source of
    transmission.
Each school year:

   All staff will review lice info per powerpoint
    training
   The principal will designate 3-4 staff
    members for training in identification of head
    lice infestation in students
   The school nurse will train designated staff
   The school nurse will be available for
    questions/verification throughout the year
How to Manage Head lice in Our School

   School employees shall report all suspected cases
    of head lice to the school nurse /trained designee.
    The school nurse or designee shall examine the
    student. An infestation shall be determined by
    looking closely through the hair and scalp for viable
    nits or live lice.
   On initial inspection, when live lice or nits are found,
    the school nurse or designee shall contact the parent
    to determine treatment status
Managing lice -cont’d

   If the student has not already been treated
    in the last 7-10 days, the child will be sent
    home for treatment.
   The parent/guardian shall be given
    information on the biology of head lice,
    methods to eliminate infestation, and
    directions to examine household contacts
    for lice and nits. This info will be located at
    each school .
Managing lice -         cont


   Parents/guardians will show proof of treatment when
    the student returns to school the next day. The
    student will also be re-examined by the school nurse
    or trained staff before returning to class
   If the parent/guardian is unable to afford treatment,
    the family will be referred to the school nurse or
    school social worker
   If the student has chronic problems with head lice,
    the nurse and social worker will work with the family

   All STAFF SHALL MAINTAIN THE PRIVACY
    OF STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS HAVING
    HEAD LICE.
    Unjustified Responses to Live Lice


   Notification of classmates parents
   Classroom or schoolwide screenings
   Insecticide treatments to the school
    environment
   Restricting use of headphones,
    equipment (helmets)
   Reporting to Social Services in absence
    of other indicators.
Important info for school staff

   Creating unnecessary panic in the school
    community is a disservice to students.
   We need to educate students, families, and
    ourselves based on fact and not fear.
    Head lice should not interfere with a
    student’s opportunities to learn and achieve
    in the classroom. Missing school puts a child
    at risk for failure.
REMEMBER:

   Head Lice is not an emergency nor a threat
    to our school community!!!
   Head Lice is a NUISANCE…. for our
    students and their families
   Education and cooperation will allow our
    students to maintain good health and the
    ability to learn and do their best in the
    classroom




Please contact your school nurse with any
  questions you have regarding the health of
  our students!!
Resources

 NASN pediculosis position statement
  http://www.nasn.org/Default.aspx?tabid
  =237
 AAP policy on head lice
  http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/
  content/full/pediatrics;110/3/638