Dear Parents/Guardians,
We wanted to inform you that a case of lice was confirmed by our school nurses at West Manheim today. Students who need to be treated will receive a call directly from the School Nurse. If you did not receive a call, your student does not need to be treated. Treating lice unnecessarily can cause resistance to future treatments.
By way of information, lice are a nuisance and do not cause harm to anyone. The only symptom your student may have is itching of the scalp. Lice do not jump; rather are spread through head-to-head contact, such as sharing combs, hats, scarves, clothing, and sleeping on a pillow or bedding of someone who has lice.
Below are recommendations regarding how to prevent the spread of lice and how to treat a case of lice in the home. Lice can survive for 1-2 days off the scalp, so the treatment recommendations for both the student and the environment must be followed.
Prevention:
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Instruct your child not to share combs, brushes, barrettes, hair ribbons, hats, towels, or clothing with other children. (This time of year hats, coats & holiday garments are the main carriers)
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Have the student take his or her own pillow and blanket to sleepovers. Check your child’s head after they attend sleepovers or overnight camps.
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If one child in the family contracts lice, other family members should be checked.
Treating the Environment:
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Clean all items that may have exposure to lice or nits. Clothing, sheets, towels, and other washable materials should be washed in hot water (130 degrees), followed by drying on the highest heat setting for 20 minutes. Non-washable items (such as stuffed animals) should be sealed in plastic bags for 2 weeks.
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Vacuum all floor and furniture surfaces.
For more information from the CDC regarding this topic, please go to the following link:
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Head Lice Information: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/schools.html
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Treatment: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/treatment.html
Please contact our School Nurse should you need further information.