Head Lice Information
What are lice? Lice are small grayish-white insects approximately 1/16 inches long. They don’t carry diseases but can cause skin irritation. The first sign to look for is your child scratching his or her head. Lice cannot hop, jump or fly. You should check your childs head routinely for lice. If you find lice, don’t panic. Lice are not a health issue, they are a public nuisance. Anyone, adult or child can get head lice. Head lice are passed from person to person by direct contact or shared objects (combs, brushes, hats, etc.) If you find lice on your child, the problem can be easily managed. Just follow the directions below.
CHECK EVERY MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. Look for live lice and/or tiny white nits firmly attached to the hair shaft, especially at the nape of the neck and behind the ears. ANY FAMILY MEMBER WITH LICE OR NITS MUST BE TREATED. TREAT ALL FAMILY MEMBERS NEEDING TREATMENT ON THE SAME DAY. Do not treat as a preventative.
USE AN EFFECTIVE HEAD LICE TREATMENT. Check with your pharmacist or physician for advice on which lice shampoo you should use. Follow the directions on the package carefully. PLEASE NOTE THAT SHAMPOO SHOULD BE APPLIED TO DRY HAIR AND SHOULD THOROUGHLY SATURATE THE HAIR. If there are other products in the hair (gel, spray, mousse, etc), remove them first by washing with Dawn dishwashing liquid and drying the hair before proceeding with the treatment. A second treatment should be done in 8 -10 days.
REMOVE ALL NITS. Comb the hair with a special metal comb. REMOVING THE NITS IS KEY TO SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT. If you have difficulty removing the nits, applying real mayonnaise to the hair may help. (None of the treatments are 100% effective at killing the nits.)
WASH CLOTHES, BED LINENS AND TOWELS. Use hot water and dry on the hottest cycle for at least 20 minutes. Wash any stuffed animals, etc that the child sleeps with.
SOAK COMBS, BRUSHES, ETC IN HOT WATER AND DISINFECTANT. The water must be at least 130 degrees F. and the items must soak for ten minutes.
VACUUM. To make sure the rest of your home is louse free, you should vacuum carpet, pillows, mattresses, upholstered furniture and cars.
Head lice cannot survive 24 hours without a human host. They cannot be transferred to or transferred from family pets.
If your student is sent home with lice, he/she cannot return to school until cleared by the school nurse. Please bring your student by the clinic first.
RRISD Lice Protocol for the School Setting
CHECK EVERY MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. Look for live lice and/or tiny white nits firmly attached to the hair shaft, especially at the nape of the neck and behind the ears. ANY FAMILY MEMBER WITH LICE OR NITS MUST BE TREATED. TREAT ALL FAMILY MEMBERS NEEDING TREATMENT ON THE SAME DAY. Do not treat as a preventative.
USE AN EFFECTIVE HEAD LICE TREATMENT. Check with your pharmacist or physician for advice on which lice shampoo you should use. Follow the directions on the package carefully. PLEASE NOTE THAT SHAMPOO SHOULD BE APPLIED TO DRY HAIR AND SHOULD THOROUGHLY SATURATE THE HAIR. If there are other products in the hair (gel, spray, mousse, etc), remove them first by washing with Dawn dishwashing liquid and drying the hair before proceeding with the treatment. A second treatment should be done in 8 -10 days.
REMOVE ALL NITS. Comb the hair with a special metal comb. REMOVING THE NITS IS KEY TO SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT. If you have difficulty removing the nits, applying real mayonnaise to the hair may help. (None of the treatments are 100% effective at killing the nits.)
WASH CLOTHES, BED LINENS AND TOWELS. Use hot water and dry on the hottest cycle for at least 20 minutes. Wash any stuffed animals, etc that the child sleeps with.
SOAK COMBS, BRUSHES, ETC IN HOT WATER AND DISINFECTANT. The water must be at least 130 degrees F. and the items must soak for ten minutes.
VACUUM. To make sure the rest of your home is louse free, you should vacuum carpet, pillows, mattresses, upholstered furniture and cars.
Head lice cannot survive 24 hours without a human host. They cannot be transferred to or transferred from family pets.
If your student is sent home with lice, he/she cannot return to school until cleared by the school nurse. Please bring your student by the clinic first.
RRISD Lice Protocol for the School Setting