Head Lice
Dear Parent/Guardian,
You are receiving this notification in accordance with Texas Education Code, Section 38.031, to inform you that a case of head lice has been detected in your child’s classroom or grade level. Head lice is common among school-aged children, does not cause disease, and is not a public health hazard.
Head lice are most commonly spread by direct head-to-head contact, and are proven to have low contagion in classrooms (American Academy of Pediatrics: Head Lice. Pediatrics May 2015). Lice do not fly, and their specially adapted feet make jumping impossible and holding on to smooth surfaces like plastic or metal (i.e. helmets or headphones) very difficult. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), spread by contact with clothing or other personal items (such as hats, scarves, coats, combs, brushes, or towels) used by an infested person is very uncommon, and hygiene/cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice.
Prevention is focused on avoiding head-to-head contact (common during play at home, child care, school, sports activities, playgrounds, slumber parties, and camps) and by prompt treatment of infested persons.
Typical symptoms include
- Persistent itching of the scalp
- Sores on the head caused by itching
- Nits (eggs) near root of hair concentrated behind ears and at nape of neck
- Live lice noted on scalp
Please continue to educate your child about avoidance of close head-to-head contact, and check his/her scalp routinely for evidence of lice. We recommend you consult a licensed medical provider for treatment if you suspect someone in your household has head lice. Should you decide to use an over-the-counter treatment, the CDC recommends you select an FDA approved product since most home remedies have not been proven to be safe or effective. You should follow manufacturer’s instructions strictly and treat all household members suspected to have lice. Retreat according to product instructions (usually 7-9 days) and consider nit removal to decrease the chance of the infestation reoccurring.
The campus nurse is closely monitoring students for symptoms of head lice and will continue to exclude students from school as appropriate. To help protect our students and community, please notify the parents of your child’s playmates if you suspect your child has lice and keep all children who have live lice at home until effectively treated.
Thank you for your assistance. If you have further questions, please contact your campus nurse.
More information:
Download the documents below to read more about head lice guidelines of HEB ISD, the state of Texas, and the CDC.
