Head Lice

September 18, 2012

 

HEAD LICE (PEDICULOSIS) CLASS LETTER

To:       Parents/Guardians

Re:  Head Lice (Pediculosis)

A case of Head Lice (Pediculosis) has been found to exist in your child’s classroom.  The head louse is an insect that lives and breeds on your head.  This is a common occurrence in school aged children.  It is spread directly by head to head contact and indirectly by contact with his/her personal belongings.  These include clothing, hair accessories and head gear.

We ask that you take the following precautions:

1.                  Inspect your child’s hair and scalp frequently for the next 10 days.  The louse may be brown or grayish, with a flat, wingless body 1-2 mm in length with six legs.  The eggs may be yellow, brown, or white teardrop-shaped, are glued to the hair near the scalp and are called “nits”.  It is usually the eggs which are first noticed.

2.                  If your child complains of an itchy scalp, you should check for lice and/or nits.  Some children do not experience an itchy scalp.

3.                  If you discover your child has lice or nits, please notify the school right away and a Public Health Head Lice (Pediculosis) Fact Sheet will be sent home.

4.                  Please note that if a child is found to have head lice (pediculosis), the parent or guardian will be required to keep the child at home until the child is free of all head lice and nits.