Itasca Independent School District
Regarding Head Lice in the Classroom
Dear Parent or Guardian:
Senate Bill 1566 was passed during the 2017 legislative session to require the school to notify parents of a classroom occurrence of lice. Head lice, although not an illness or a disease, is very common among children and is spread through head-to-head contact during play, sports and when children share items like combs, hats, brushes, and headphones.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics, children diagnosed with live head lice do not need to be sent home early from school; they can go home at the end of the day, be treated, and return to class after appropriate treatment has begun. Nits may persist after treatment, but successful treatment should kill crawling lice.
Recommendations for parents:
- Check your child’s hair daily.
- If you find lice treat your child and any children who share rooms or beds in the house. In addition the sheets and clothes must be washed in hot water or bagged for 48 hours for stuffed animals or items which cannot be washed. Please let the school nurse know if you become aware of lice.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be utilized as a resource for treatment and prevention of lice. Treatment options can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/treatment.html and prevention tips at https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/prevent.html.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Vickie Macias RN-BSN