Lice in elementary school

[Anonymous]

We got a letter this week. My kid seems clear, but I always break out the metal comb when these announcements come out.

[Anonymous]

No lice at Beverly Farms. We don't have those kinds of problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish they would at least let parents know that some kid in the class has lice and to look out for it. We know a kid in our class has had it, and no notice of anything.

I don't get this either. Why not just send an email to a class where a kid has had lice so everyone can check their kids carefully? Otherwise it will just go around and around. Its like the schools have completely washed their hands of any responsibility or effort.

i don't understand why you can't just check your own kid regularly? I can't be the only mom who checks backs of ears and necks for cleanliness, can't be the only one cuddling on the couch or giving kisses, hugs...don't you look at your kids?

I have three kids. Two have very thick, curly hair. Checking carefully for nits takes at least 20 min per head. That's almost an hour of my life every day. I don't want to spend an hour every day nit-checking. Sending an email out would be very helpful for a lot of parents and costs the schools nothing but 5 min of admin time to write the email. What's their issue with doing that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The nuts may not be harmful but the treatment is. So the fewer kids to get them the better. It is so irresponsible not to report and stay home.

The treatment is not harmful. The chemical/pesticide shampoos don't work - don't use them. Thorough combing with a very good metal lice comb is the only thing that works.

Each of my kids had lice once. I didn't use the chemical/pesticide, but did the Cetaphil treatment instead, along with lots of combing. http://www.hasd.org/healthservices/Directions%20for%20use%20of%20the%20Cetaphil%20Lice%20Treatment.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The nuts may not be harmful but the treatment is. So the fewer kids to get them the better. It is so irresponsible not to report and stay home.

The treatment is not harmful. The chemical/pesticide shampoos don't work - don't use them. Thorough combing with a very good metal lice comb is the only thing that works.

+1. Thorough combing is the way to go. Sadly, I speak from experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish they would at least let parents know that some kid in the class has lice and to look out for it. We know a kid in our class has had it, and no notice of anything.

I don't get this either. Why not just send an email to a class where a kid has had lice so everyone can check their kids carefully? Otherwise it will just go around and around. Its like the schools have completely washed their hands of any responsibility or effort.

i don't understand why you can't just check your own kid regularly? I can't be the only mom who checks backs of ears and necks for cleanliness, can't be the only one cuddling on the couch or giving kisses, hugs...don't you look at your kids?

uh

To be honest, I don't necessarily connect hugging to lice-checking. However, after suffering through that fucking situation, I pick through my kids' hair frequently, as it's the only way to PREVENT them from infesting a household. We use good old Pantene and a lice comb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No lice at Beverly Farms. We don't have those kinds of problems.

no

Your problems revolve around husbands leaving wives for hotter, younger women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not OP, but I understand where the OP is coming from. I understand that lice are a nuisance and not harmful, but it also seems like under the current MCPS policy, the kids will just keep giving lice back and forth to each other. Also, I know there is a pretty bad outbreak in my DD's classroom. I reported it and I know that other parents have too, and yet no school or classroom wide announcement to all parents has gone out. I don't get it.

Announcements aren't really needed either. Just keep an eye on your kid's hair if you are concerned.

It's like colds when they're little. All the snot and the hacking and wheezing is gross, and it comes up multiple times a year but it's not worth missing school.

Maybe not to you, but having a cold every month all winter is very difficult, and my heart sinks every time I see another student come into my classroom with a severe cold (because I know I'm going to get sick AGAIN). I'd rather not get lice again as well, if possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand that MCPS is now following the policy of the American Academy of Pediatrics to allow children with nits to school.

We are currently having a lice outbreak at our children's school. It seems like it's worse than in the past.

I hope parents will consider keeping their children home from school until all nits have been removed, even if MCPS does not require it.

Course of treatment to ensure that all nits are gone is two weeks. You really expect a child to miss two weeks of school over a nuisance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No lice at Beverly Farms. We don't have those kinds of problems.

no

Your problems revolve around husbands leaving wives for hotter, younger women.

Who probably have pubic lice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand that MCPS is now following the policy of the American Academy of Pediatrics to allow children with nits to school.

We are currently having a lice outbreak at our children's school. It seems like it's worse than in the past.

I hope parents will consider keeping their children home from school until all nits have been removed, even if MCPS does not require it.

Course of treatment to ensure that all nits are gone is two weeks. You really expect a child to miss two weeks of school over a nuisance?

Yes, that would be most ideal.

[Anonymous]

You need to assume that there is *always* a case of lice in your child's class. In the bath, at least once a week, do a comb out with a licemeister comb and conditioner. If you do this weekly, lice can't get a foothold.

- lice lady

[Anonymous]

^^^Will that get out all the nits, too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish they would at least let parents know that some kid in the class has lice and to look out for it. We know a kid in our class has had it, and no notice of anything.

I don't get this either. Why not just send an ei don't mail to a class where a kid has had lice so everyone can check their kids carefully? Otherwise it will just go around and around. Its like the schools have completely washed their hands of any responsibility or effort.

understand why you can't just check your own kid regularly? I can't be the only mom who checks backs of ears and necks for cleanliness, can't be the only one cuddling on the couch or giving kisses, hugs...don't you look at your kids?

You absolutely cannot see the lice or nits with the naked eye unless there is a full-on infestation (or maybe if your child has very very little and very light hair). People like you are why the lice spreads so much -- they are convinced their child does not have them because they can't see anything! I used to be like that too -- I thought if the child was not itching and you could not see anything with a close inspection with the naked eye, then there were no lice. I learned that I was totally wrong when I did a "just in case" comb through with one of the effective metal lice combs.

I feel like there is a posting on this every week. Everyone should now know: (1) the OTC stuff does not work; (2) you cannot see them with a visible inspection; (3) the only way to get rid of them is with 10 days worth of combing with a really good lice comb. The one new piece that I did learn is that hair brushing can make the lice "fly" (they don't really fly, but static electricity from brushing propels them) for several feet. So tell your children not to stand next to anyone that is brushing their hair in the bathroom, and tell your kids not to brush their hair at school.

[Anonymous]

I agree that the schools should send out the emails. In the past, I used to alert other parents in the class about it, but I won't do that anymore, as my child was teased mercilessly by the other kids (even after I said, the second time around, please don't share the name with your child or, if you do, remind them to be kind....) I felt terrible because, after the first time, my child did NOT want me to share the information, but I assured my child that the kids were a couple years older and that I would specifically ask the parents to not share the information. My child said that wouldn't work, and apparently my child was right. So I won't be sharing that information with class parents again!