Family health
Lice
and
Kids
Nitpicking
uses the CDPH Guidelines to develop its
own policy on lice.
The essential components of the CDPH
no-lice policy are:
w
Early detection of head lice infestations
through routine screening by parents
and/or caregivers.
w
Treatment of children found to have
live lice.
w
Distribution of educational material to
school sta and parents on head lice, nit
combing and treatment.
Head lice die quickly (within two days)
without feeding, so they cannot live very
long away from a host. Nits, or lice eggs,
take six to nine days to hatch and seven
or more days for the lice to become egg-
laying adults. Parents and caregivers need
to be on alert for 10 to 16 days. Nits can
be easily mistaken for dandru , scabs or
dirt, so it’s best to get a de nite diagnosis
from a doctor or school nurse.
TREATMENT
Usually, lice can be e ectively treated
with a single treatment of an over-
the-counter medicine with 1 percent
permethrin or pyrethrins. If live lice are
found 7 to 10 days later, a reapplication of
the medicine may be necessary. Parents
should check with their health care
provider. Stubborn cases may require
a prescription medication. Using a nit
comb to remove nits may help to reduce
the duration of infestation. The CDPH
recommends a combination of treatment
and nit combing.
Other means to control the spread
of lice include machine washing in hot
water all contaminated clothing and
bedding and drying at a temperature
of at least 140 degrees. For clothing
that cannot be washed, dry cleaning
or placing items in a plastic bag and
leaving undisturbed for three days will be
e ective. Upholstered furniture, carpets,
and surfaces made of plastic, metal or
wood are generally not considered to
be sources for infection. Vacuuming
all carpets and upholstered furniture
and wiping surfaces should su ce for
household control.
Lousy news?
If your child has lice and
needs a pediatrician,
call ValleyCare Medical
Foundation Pediatrics at
925 416 6767
or visit
www.myvcmf.com
.
L
ice are tiny bugs with a big
reputation.
About the size of a sesame seed,
adult lice lay eggs (nits) on hair near the
scalp. These parasites commonly infest
school-age kids, ages 3 to 11. While a lice
infestation can be unpleasant, getting
lice is not a sign that a person isn’t clean.
Also, head lice do not spread disease
and are not a health hazard but are
considered a health nuisance.
HOWDIDMY CHILDGET LICE?
The California Department of Public
Health (CDPH) states that children
can give head lice to other children
when they share combs, hats, clothing,
barrettes, helmets, scarves,
headphones or other
personal items.
The CDPH also states that
head lice are a problem in
homes, daycare centers,
elementary schools and
preschools. Children
are more likely to
get lice from family
members and
playmates than
from classmates
at school.
GUIDELINES
TO FOLLOW
The CDPH guidelines
for head lice preven-
tion and control
changed in March 2012.
The CDPH recommends
a no-lice policy. Each school
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