We have had a couple of cases of head lice this school year, with the most recent being last Friday, September 22. Please be aware of the following:
• Lice are common.
• Excessive itching is the most common symptom.
• Head lice are a nuisance, but they have not been shown to spread disease.
• To check for lice use a fine-toothed comb to part your child's hair, then shine a bright light onto their scalp. If your child has lice, you'll notice small, brown insects the size of sesame seeds moving around or nits (white and egg shaped) that look like they're cemented on to individual hairs. You may be unsure if you see dirt or lice and nits.
• Nits are commonly found on strands of hair more than ¼ inch from the scalp.
• The first thing to remember is head lice cannot live off the human host for more than 48 hours. Also, lice do not have “feet” and cannot travel well on smooth hard surfaces. Nits/eggs need to be in a warm, dark, moist place to incubate. Head lice move by crawling; they cannot hop or fly. Anyone who comes in head-to-head contact with someone who already has head lice is at greatest risk. Lice is also spread by contact with clothing (such as hats, scarves, coats) or other personal items (such as combs, brushes, or towels) used by an infested person is uncommon.
• Head Lice Treatment: Treat your child's head lice with an anti-lice shampoo, such as Nix or Rid, which you can buy at the drugstore or online. Continue to remove nits (the eggs) from your child's head using your fingers or a special comb, even if you have to check his/her head each night for a week or more until you get them all.
• Identify items used by anyone who has head lice, such as pillows, bedding, towels, hats, helmets, scarves, clothes, and stuffed animals. Machine-wash appropriate items in hot water and tumble-dry on high heat. If an item can't be washed, seal it in a plastic bag for 2 weeks.
• New York Academy has a no nit policy. If a child has lice or nits they will be sent home. In order to return to school, a child must be nit free.
