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      actual licelife cycle

    Our district has a "no nit" (lice egg) requirement in order for your child to return to school. Proper treatment with appropriate shampoo or rinse labeled for controlling lice and removal of all eggs is necessary before your child may return.

    Treatment will not kill every egg. Egg casings will remain on the hair shaft after treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to remove each egg or "nit" before the child returns to school. Since each egg could hatch and mature an egg‑laying female which could lay up to 500 eggs during its life cycle, the removal of all eggs helps to assure eradication of these human pests. 
     
    Your child may not attend school or ride the school bus until he/she has been cleared by the School Nurse.
    To have your child readmitted to school you must:
    Treat with proper product as per guidelines.
    Be sure all eggs have been removed from child's hair.
    A responsible adult must bring your child to school. Do not send them to school unattended. Remember children determined to have had lice cannot ride the school bus until they have been cleared by the School Nurse. You child must report directly to the Nurse's Office after 8:00am. Do not send child to his/her regular classroom. Accompanying adult must remain until child has been check by the nurse and determined to be able to return to class. If any live lice or eggs are found, the child must be taken back home immediately to complete elimination of lice or eggs.
     
    Head Lice (Pediculosis)
     
    A common occurrence that occurs in grade school. Lice are tiny insects that are difficult to see and require a human host. Some common myths are that lice can fly, jump or are a sign of poor hygiene (all are untrue). Lice crawl, are wingless, approximately the size of a sesame seed and anyone can get lice. Lice can be confused with dandruff, hairspray debris, or dirt debris. One way to determine if it is lice or dandruff it to flick/gently run finger along hair, if removes easily it is dandruff. Lice produce a sticky substance that allows them to adhere to the hair and are difficult to remove by just flicking or gentle pulling. Head lice is transmitted via head to head contact. Contact most commonly occurs during play, sharing clothing, hats, hair ribbons, and slumber parties. 

    Signs/Symptoms of head lice:
    • Itchy head or tickling sensation (most common)
    • Feelings of something moving through the hair or on the head
    • Sores on the head from scratching
    • Difficulty sleeping as lice are more active at night

    Treatment:
    • Over the counter treatment kits may be found at most grocery stores, CVS/Walgreens, Target/Walmart. Treatment must be repeated 7-10 days after the first application.
    • Nonpharmacological treatment can be used for parents who prefer to avoid chemical treatment. Nonpharmacological treatment requires rigorous wet combing every 3 days for 2 weeks, although cure rate is significantly improved with combing every 24 hours for 2 weeks.
     Prevention:
    • Avoid head to head contact
    • Do not share brushes, combs, or towels (disinfect by soaking in hot water, at least 130 degrees)
    • Do not share clothing, hats, scarves, barrettes, hair ribbons, coats, etc. 

    Tips:

    • Perform weekly hair/head checks
    • Encourage your child not to hug friends or share clothing, hats, or hair ties.
    • After slumber parties increase hair/head inspections, wash and dry clothing/bedding in water that is at least 130 degrees.
    • Children with long hair should keep their hair contained with a ponytail, braid, etc., this will decrease the likelihood of hair to hair transmission during play and close contact during school activities.

    If your child has lice please inform the school nurse 623-445-7610. Information is kept confidential.

    Remember, Lice can and does happen to anyone.
     
    Please feel free to visit the CDC or Mayo Clinic websites for more information regarding head lice.
     
     
    *Resources for lice treatment/removal (please click link below):
     
     
     
     
     
     
    *DVUSD does not endorse nor have any affiliation with any of the above named resources, these are merely provided to you as a resource to research if you are in need of lice removal treatment/services.