April 19th, 2016

We have had a few cases of head lice this year and we wanted to share some information regarding head lice with you.
1 in every 10 school children has had head lice at some time.
Anyone can catch head lice at any time. They are passed from close contact or sharing items like hats, combs, scarves, blankets and helmets.
The good news is head lice will not harm you or your child. They will cause itching and discomfort but they do not carry diseases. However, if you do discover lice it is important to treat them right away to stop the spread and insure that the bites don’t get infected from too much scratching.

What are Head Lice?
Head lice are small grey or reddish brown bugs, 1mm to 4mm long, depending on their age. Lice live on the human head, not on pets or other hairy parts of the body.  Lice do not hop, jump or fly. They feed on blood and cannot survive off the head for more than 24 to 48 hours without a blood meal. A female louse lives for approximately 30 days and lays 3 to 5 tear-dropped shaped eggs per day.  These eggs are glued on one side of the hair shaft on an angle. The viable eggs are typically brownish/yellow in colour; never white.  Empty egg cases or dead eggs are called nits, which are clear.  Lice eggs take 7 to 10 days to hatch. Baby lice are called nymphs and take 7 to 10 days to be mature enough to mate.

What do I look for?
Look for lice and lice eggs in the “hot spots” which are around the ears, at the crown of the head and at the nape of the neck. It is best to use bright light or sunlight and proper magnification when looking for lice. Look for lice eggs on the hair shaft, lice crawling through the hair and scabs caused by scratching. Lice lay their eggs close to the scalp but look along the whole hair shaft. Do not confuse DEC plugs, hair casts or other hair debris with lice eggs. Remember if it is white like paper or snow, it is not a lice egg.

If you find live head lice on a member of your family:
See your local pharmacist, they will recommend the correct treatment for that person. Some treatments may not be suitable for babies, anyone with skin conditions, allergies or asthma.  Always follow the instructions given with the treatment if you do not follow the instructions, not all of the head lice may be killed and they may be harder to kill in the future.
After treatment, use a detection comb or fingers to comb out any dead head lice which have not been washed away. Check the hair with a detection comb every other day for a week. At the end of the week make a final check. You may still see empty egg cases (nits) even after all the lice have been killed. There is no need for more treatment but nits should be removed. Normally, you should not treat hair more than twice in three weeks.
If you do find lice on your child please notify the school so we can send a letter home to parents. Also, when you child returns to school please have him/her visit the office to be checked by the Principal / Vice Principal before returning to class.

Thank you.