Schools, parents adjusting to new KDHE protocol for head lice

School head lice rules and regulations have recently been loosened by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

According to a document provided by KDHE, the once rigid rules stating that children who have contracted head lice must be nit free before being allowed to mingle with the rest of the school's population have been relaxed. Head lice, which are parasites that can adhere to the hair of humans, require human blood to survive. In July 2007, KDHE ruled that a child must be excluded from school only until treatment with an antiparasitic drug begins.

Although the new ruling has some parents in a panic, according to advisory literature provided by Fort Scott Middle School nurse Pam Brown and by KDHE, steps can be taken to prevent and treat the infestation of these reddish-brown colored bugs, which are usually about the size of sesame seeds.

KDHE information said that since the bugs move from one person to another, it is important for students to avoid sharing combs, hair brushes, head gear, and other clothing which may have had direct contact with the hair. According to the information provided by Brown, head lice could possibly be spread by using an infected pillow or similar item. Vacuuming carpets and furniture that may have come into contact with head lice is highly recommended. The literature also recommends that each child should have his or her own equipment at school, such as headphones or helmets. However, since some of the equipment needed can be expensive, students may have no other choice but to share. In this case, the literature recommends the cleaning of shared equipment after each child uses it.

For parents who find themselves in the middle of a head lice infestation, there is no need to panic. According to KDHE, the home is the primary point of control for head lice.

KDHE said that parents should assume that the possibility exists that their children may contract head lice. For this reason, the state agency recommends that parents check their children's hair for head lice at least once a week. If one child in the household has evidence of lice, every member of the household be checked.

According to the information provided by Brown, "Homes do not get head lice -- people do." KDHE and Brown agree that the majority of a parent's effort should be spent in daily procedures to rid the infested child of the parasite.

KDHE's treatment regimen is as follows:

* Day one: Apply pediculocidal shampoo followed by a thorough fine-tooth wet combing. This should kill most adults and nymphs and remove most viable nits.

* Days two -six: Daily apply ordinary shampoo followed by cream rinse and a thorough fine-tooth wet combing. This should remove additional adults, nymphs and nits.

* Day seven: Apply pediculocidal shampoo followed by a thorough fine-tooth wet combing. This should kill and remove most remaining adults, nymph and some nits.

Days eight-14: Daily apply ordinary shampoo followed by cream rinse and a thorough fine-tooth wet combing. This should remove residual adults and nymphs.

KDHE said parents should notice a decrease in the number of adult lice and nits with each combing.

Head lice can survive on the host for approximately 30 days, Brown said. However if a louse is not on a human, it can only survive for 24 hours. While on a human, a female louse can lay three to five eggs per day. After laid, it takes seven to 10 days for the eggs to hatch and another seven to ten days for the louse to grow old enough to lay eggs of her own, according to the information provided by Brown.

KDHE maintains a position that head lice is a mild health condition, which does not possess any serious health risks for the person infested. Furthermore, the infected child's parents -- rather than school nurses or teachers -- should be the ones to treat any infestations which occur.

Finally, KDHE says that the policies and practices of schools concerning infestation of head lice should be tempered to ensure that they have "a minimal effect on children's educational experiences and minimal stigmatizing impact on children."