Dear Parents/Guardians,
Head lice are one of the nuisances that parents of school-age children must occasionally deal with. Dolgeville works to prevent outbreaks of lice through education with students, teachers, other staff, and parents. We understand that when students are in close head-to-head contact, lice can spread. School is one of the many places a child can come in contact with lice. Other common places are friends’ homes during sleepovers, during sports involving head to head contact, and anytime a child shares clothing (hats, jackets) with other children.
We encourage parents to check their child’s head periodically for nits (lice eggs), which would indicate the presence of adult lice. Nits appear as small, clear or white ovals attached firmly to a strand of hair. The eggs are usually laid behind the ears or at the base of the neck.
Individual head checks may be performed on an as needed basis at school. Dolgeville does not perform routine classroom lice checks. The NYS Education Department and the American Academy of Pediatrics have shown that this practice disrupts classroom time and is not effective in controlling the spread of lice.
If the school nurse finds lice in a child’s hair, the parent will be notified and encouraged to treat the child with a medicated lice shampoo, cream or lotion (these are available at local drug stores). Your family health care provider may also order prescription strength treatment. This letter is not intended to cause alarm but to spread awareness to please regularly check your children as we have had several cases in the past few weeks.
Effective treatment includes combing through the hair with a special lice comb everyday for several days to remove all nits. Nits that remain in the hair will hatch and cause a re-infestation. retreatment with a medicated lice shampoo is often needed 7-10 days after initial treatment to kill any newly hatched lice. Complete treatment of lice also includes treatment of the home, especially items that have had contact with your child’s head such as brushes, bedding, and stuffed animals. These items should be washed in hot water or placed in a sealed bag for 10 days.
If you have any questions, please contact your doctor, pharmacist, or your school nurse.
Sincerely,
Joseph J. Gilfus
Superintendent of Schools
* a pdf version of the above letter can be accessed here: link