Dear Parents:
This letter is to inform you that there was a case of head lice in your child’s classroom. The health room screened all children in the classroom.
Head lice are the
most common communicable childhood disease, except for the common cold. When children come into close contact with
each other, it is easy to pass head lice along.
Shared hats, clothing, brushes, combs, pillows, and other personal items
are perfect vehicles to transfer lice from one person to another.
Head lice are small
(about 1/16 of an in inch long). They
are greyish-white with dark edges. While
they cannot fly or jump, they move
quickly. It is difficult to find them in
a child’s hair.
Diagnosis of head
lice is usually made when lice eggs (called nits) are evident. Nits are very small (about 1/32 of an inch),
and teardrop shaped. They are attached
to the hair shaft, usually at the base, and cannot be washed or brushed out
like dandruff. The most common symptom of head lice is severe itching of the
scalp. Nits may be found anywhere on
the scalp, but more commonly occur behind the ears and at the nape of the neck.
If you notice any
symptoms in your child please contact the health room immediately.
Please feel free to
call us with any concerns or questions at 228-9913
Sincerely,
School Nurses