Lice, school does NOTHING?!?! VENT

[DisneyPRPrincess]

My kids school sends a letter home stating that a child in the class had lice. And I have to add, that lice is attracted to clean hair. It is recommended that in order to avoid lice the childs hair be geled and tied up.

 

[CF'er]

My frustration in her not being allowed back was that *I* never could find anything in her hair. The next day the nurse would show me and we'd go back home. I used so many chemicals on her head it's a wonder she isn't bald. I still shudder at the thought.

 

[dustysky]

My frustration in her not being allowed back was that *I* never could find anything in her hair. The next day the nurse would show me and we'd go back home. I used so many chemicals on her head it's a wonder she isn't bald. I still shudder at the thought.

That the other thing, YUCK, those lice shampoos have got to be so bad for you. I spent about an hour today reading all about home remidies in case they come back (I am sure they will). Does your daughter have very light hair?
I can not inagin trying to find them in blond hair.

*edit: Dur I see her in your siggy, sorry its late for me

 

[DawnCt1]

We have similar policy at our elementary school.

I know for a fact they do nothing for Fifth's disease either. Once a kid's got it, s/he's exposed other kids to it. It spreads like wildfire but the worst that happens is a low grade fever.

fifth disease certainly puts pregnant teachers at risk.

 

[Blondy876]

I've never heard of such a law and do not believe there is such a thing. When someone in my kids classes was found to have lice the whole class was sent down to the nurse's office one by one to check for lice. I wouldn't let my kids attend a school that didn't take that precaution.

Well, I can assure you that I didn't make it up, believe whatever you want.

We do not check all the children in the class. I think you will find that, at least in the state of NJ, most schools don't. In fact, I have read several studies lately that say that school should allow children with lice to attend school because it is not considered a disease. It seems that schools are trending away from a "no nit" policy to no policy. I don't agree with this, I certainly wasn't thrilled when I caught it.

 

[Magickndm]

My daughter got it in 6th grade, I called the middle school to notify them and they told me they had never had a lice outbreak there before. Yeah right.
She could not go back to school for whatever the incubation period was, I forget now, and was rechecked before getting cleared for class. She was soooo worried about the stigma attached with lice, but when she came back they had done a check and found it in 7 or 8 other kids. This was the school who never had lice before.

 

[suzannen]

My DD's school also has a policy that all parents are notifies and the infected children are not allowed back in school until they are treated. I'm really confused as to what type of schools would allow this to go on? Are these public schools that might lose funding if they have to close for a few days because of an infestation? My DD attends an independent private school and their nurse will check all of the student every day until the outbreak is over. It's never considered a teacher's job to do that.

 

[phamton]

My guess is it isn't a "law" but a school policy. If it's a law, would it be considered a felony or a misdemeanor? I doubt if there is a law on the books forbidding head checks in school. It is most likely just a policy that certain school districts forbid head checks in their schools because of privacy issues or parental complaints.

The schools I taught at in Texas had head checks quite often at the nurse's office. The child wasn't told but a note was sent home to the parents. (All the notes were given to the teacher to give to the student in private and also a letter mailed in case the student forgets.) When they come back, they are checked again and are allowed back in the classroom if there are no live lice.

 

[wdwdancerwannabe]

Don't know if someone already said this, but if you are sending your child to bed with a wet head (braids) this invites the lice in.

Blow dry her hair before bed - the heat kills them.

when I was in highschool my Kindergarten sister came home w/ it.. Everyone in my family got it but me because I blew my hair dry before going to bed.

 

[Linzybrooke]

My mom is an elementary school nurse and is not allowed to touch the students...she isn't even allowed to take out splinters. This all stems from parents who have sued schools and the state for invasion of privacy and malpractice due to their own personal beliefs. Her school sends the infected child home and sends a letter to the parents stating that they should check their children for lice and what to look for and do if they find anything. She is NOT allowed to check the heads of the children in the class.

 

[Karel]

fifth disease certainly puts pregnant teachers at risk.

Actually, no it doesn't. Most women have already had it in their life, even if they don't know it, and then you are immune to it. It can cause some effects in pregnant women, even a miscarriage early on, but it is fairly rare. A pregnant woman can get a blood test to see if they are immune to it.

So, there is a mild risk for pregnant women but there are many risks for pregnancies to begin with.

Lice, really, is not that big of a deal. If you freak out, you're going to scare your kid and make matters much worse. Once you've done the first treatment, you're good to go for about two weeks. Then you shampoo again and it's over and life goes on.

 

[DVC Jen]

I know exactly how you feel. 5 years ago when my youngest was in 4th grade she not only had nits but I picked 36 live bugs off her head. It was the most disgusting, horrifying, stomach churning thing I have ever had to do.

Just like your DD - she was (still is ) a clean little girl. Lice actually prefer clean heads over dirty ones.

Anyway - I notified the school and they would not even let the other parents know so they could check their own children.

I was also disgusted and horrified... and a bit embarrassed that I had not noticed them earlier... she was totally showering by herself then and doing her own hair - and she never really scratched that much.

 

[gnbuggy]

My DNiece was "flagged" at her school last week for head lice. They have volunteers check the kids. Im not sure what decides if a kid gets checked or if the whole class does. She was not sent home. SIL called and asked if her personal hairstylist (that would be me) would come over that evening and check both DNieces. It was cradle cap. Thank goodness. I think its sad that a school nurse cant look at a child head to check for head lice. While its not a disease, it is still communicable. And if we can prevent it why not take the actions needed to do so?

 

[Mermaid02]

We have similar policy at our elementary school.

I know for a fact they do nothing for Fifth's disease either. Once a kid's got it, s/he's exposed other kids to it. It spreads like wildfire but the worst that happens is a low grade fever.

As far as Fifth's disease goes we had that a few years ago. My kids bounced right back but I was in bed for 3 days hardly able to move. Every joint in my body ached. It's also extremely dangerous for pregnant women.... Fifth's disease is much more than a nuisance.

They still do classroom lice checks here.

 

[MidgeD79]

I don't know how to "paste and cut" on the internet (some day lol). I would invite everyone to goggle American Academy of Pediatrics/lice and read their recommendations. there are some very interesting articles.

 

[munchkin bunchkin]

At our school the kids are sent to the nurse at the first sign of continious scratching and then have their hair combed to find out for sure! After that ,if lice is found, the child is sent home and a letter from the nurse is sent home to all classmates parents ,then when the child is "free" and retuns to school all classmates are recombed again!

 

[Karel]

As far as Fifth's disease goes we had that a few years ago. My kids bounced right back but I was in bed for 3 days hardly able to move. Every joint in my body ached. It's also extremely dangerous for pregnant women.... Fifth's disease is much more than a nuisance.

From National Center of Infectious Diseases:

I've recently been exposed to a child with fifth disease. How will this affect my pregnancy?

Usually, there is no serious complication for a pregnant woman or her baby because of exposure to a person with fifth disease. About 50% of women are already immune to parvovirus B19, and these women and their babies are protected from infection and illness. Even if a woman is susceptible and gets infected with parvovirus B19, she usually experiences only a mild illness. Likewise, her unborn baby usually does not have any problems attributable to parvovirus B19 infection.

Sometimes, however, parvovirus B19 infection will cause the unborn baby to have severe anemia and the woman may have a miscarriage. This occurs in less than 5% of all pregnant women who are infected with parvovirus B19 and occurs more commonly during the first half of pregnancy. There is no evidence that parvovirus B19 infection causes birth defects or mental retardation.

There is no vaccine or medicine that prevents parvovirus B19 infection. Frequent hand washing is recommended as a practical and probably effective method to reduce the spread of parvovirus. Excluding persons with fifth disease from work, child care centers, schools, or other settings is not likely to prevent the spread of parvovirus B19, since ill persons are contagious before they develop the characteristic rash.

CDC does not recommend that pregnant women should routinely be excluded from a workplace where a fifth disease outbreak is occurring, because of the problems noted above. Rather, CDC considers that the decision to stay away from a workplace where there are cases of fifth disease is an personal decision for a woman to make, after discussions with her family, physician, and employer

 

[DawnCt1]

Actually, no it doesn't. Most women have already had it in their life, even if they don't know it, and then you are immune to it. It can cause some effects in pregnant women, even a miscarriage early on, but it is fairly rare. A pregnant woman can get a blood test to see if they are immune to it.

So, there is a mild risk for pregnant women but there are many risks for pregnancies to begin with.

.

probably 50% of women are immune and less than 5% of those who become infected during pregnancy suffer complications. Of course, what woman wants one more thing to worry about? parents should be notified of any outbreak in schools.

 

[DawnCt1]

From National Center of Infectious Diseases:

I've recently been exposed to a child with fifth disease. How will this affect my pregnancy?

Usually, there is no serious complication for a pregnant woman or her baby because of exposure to a person with fifth disease. About 50% of women are already immune to parvovirus B19, and these women and their babies are protected from infection and illness. Even if a woman is susceptible and gets infected with parvovirus B19, she usually experiences only a mild illness. Likewise, her unborn baby usually does not have any problems attributable to parvovirus B19 infection.

Sometimes, however, parvovirus B19 infection will cause the unborn baby to have severe anemia and the woman may have a miscarriage. This occurs in less than 5% of all pregnant women who are infected with parvovirus B19 and occurs more commonly during the first half of pregnancy. There is no evidence that parvovirus B19 infection causes birth defects or mental retardation.

There is no vaccine or medicine that prevents parvovirus B19 infection. Frequent hand washing is recommended as a practical and probably effective method to reduce the spread of parvovirus. Excluding persons with fifth disease from work, child care centers, schools, or other settings is not likely to prevent the spread of parvovirus B19, since ill persons are contagious before they develop the characteristic rash.

CDC does not recommend that pregnant women should routinely be excluded from a workplace where a fifth disease outbreak is occurring, because of the problems noted above. Rather, CDC considers that the decision to stay away from a workplace where there are cases of fifth disease is an personal decision for a woman to make, after discussions with her family, physician, and employer

I spoke with dh and he feels that the risk to an infected woman is actually greater than what is stated by the CDC. he says it is 10% and should be avoided. (dh is an infectious disease specialist)

 

[robinb]

Don't know if someone already said this, but if you are sending your child to bed with a wet head (braids) this invites the lice in.

Blow dry her hair before bed - the heat kills them.

I'm sorry, but both of these are old wive's tales. You don't "invite" lice onto your hair because it is wet. Lice need direct head-to-head contact to crawl from one host to another. They can't jump and they can't live off thier host for very long: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6556831

As for the blow-drying ... a regular blow dryer just isn't hot enough to kill the nits. There was a man who invented a super blow-dryer especially for lice/nits. Here's the story:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6556272

Can you tell I listen to NPR in the shower?