Grantham School dealing with lice
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on January 27, 2015 1:58 PM
Head lice.
The words send shivers up and down the spines of parents everywhere.
But officials say they are not dangerous, only pesky, although the infestation should nevertheless be treated quickly.
At Grantham School over the past week, 10 cases of lice were reported, from different grades and different classrooms, said Ken Derksen, public information officer for the district. Four of them were in the same kindergarten class.
"As of (Monday), all those students have returned and there have been no further cases identified," Derksen said. "That's not a high number, but it's higher than they typically have.
"It's certainly not an outbreak or an issue that's running rampant in a school."
Officials in Wayne County Public Schools are used to such reports because, like colds, flu and other communicable ailments, head lice are easily passed along, and not just in classrooms. The problem can originate wherever people congregate -- in day care, after-school programs, on a bus.
Teachers and school nurses take the situation seriously, Derksen said, while trying to dispel any anxiety.
Concern is warranted, he said, but there is no need for parents to be unnecessarily alarmed. The process and protocol in the school district is in line with the American Academy of Pediatrics and other health agencies.
Most of what is popularly known about head lice, however, is often more myth than fact -- that they are a sign of poor hygiene or they jump or fly from person to person -- although they are considered contagious by close contact.
Cleanliness is not in question, officials say. In fact, sometimes the cleaner the hair, the more desirable the scalp is for lice.
The way the school district handles the issue changed in 2007, when more stringent privacy guidelines were handed down, preventing educators from broadcasting that a child had it, either to other teachers or parents. Parent letters could be sent home, but only to parents of the affected child.
Prior to that, children with lice or the eggs, called nits, were sent home and remained there until totally free from the lice or eggs.
For parents new to the experience, there are ways to recognize and deal with the prospect of head lice.
Lice lay eggs where it is warm, such as behind the ears or at the nape of the neck. However, the entire head should be checked.
"That's something parents should be doing regularly, to make sure there's nothing out of the ordinary. That's something that should be done daily," cautioned Derksen.
One of the first symptoms may be intense itching for no apparent reason.
Eggs may be discovered on the scalp area, resembling and often mistaken for dandruff or dryness. The difference, though, is that brushing or combing the hair will remove dandruff, while lice are more clingy and remain on the hair shaft.
From a health perspective, head lice are more annoying than dangerous, unless left untreated.
Lice get their nourishment from the blood vessels on the scalp, so over a prolonged period without treatment, the situation could worsen.
There are plenty of over-the-counter remedies, as well as homemade concoctions that have been proven effective. One of the latter, a mixture of equal parts vinegar and rubbing alcohol, is recommended to be combed through the hair with a metal fine-toothed comb.
The frustration comes in the waiting period. It may take several applications of a remedy before the eggs or lice are completely gone.
Dr. David Tayloe of Goldsboro Pediatrics said his practice has seen children with head lice, but nothing alarming.
"I don't think I have ever seen complications of lice that threatened anybody's health and well-being," he said this morning. "It's more of a social nuisance than anything else."
The pediatrician pointed out that there can be confusion over determining whether a child's hair contains dead nits or dandruff concretions, dandruff that sticks to the hair shaft.
"If they're not within a half-inch of the scalp, it's likely dandruff; if it's an inch or more, it's probably a dead nit," he said.
"We always treat with a lotion of shampoo that we think is likely to kill any live bugs."
One problem is that over the years lice have become more resistant to some of the over-the-counter products.
While he does not favor prescribing expensive products, one that has been found effective is Permethrin cream 5 percent.
"It's stronger than the Nix shampoo that contains 1 percent Permethrin," he said. "Massage into the dry hair at bedtime and shampoo really well the next morning. Then use the vinegar/alcohol mixture.
Parents are also encouraged to treat all members of the family, suggesting if one person has it, others likely will, too.
"We don't envy the schools," Tayloe said. "There's going to be transmission but currently we're not treating everybody in the classroom.
"Usually they can go back the next day, with a doctor's note."