As we get into the school year, we will see LICE. It is part of school life. The health room is here to help! Here are some helpful tips and information regarding our favorite bugs.

· Lice are not harmful and cannot spread disease. They are just a nuisance!
· If you contract head lice it does not mean you are dirty. They actually prefer clean hair.
· If we find lice on your child in school, you will need to pick your child up and take them home for treatment. You can use over the counter lice killing shampoos to treat your child’s head. The most important part is PICKING OUT THE BUGS AND NITS.
· Treatment is only needed once and you can retreat in 7 days. DO NOT retreat sooner than 7 days.
· Check all members of the house. Only treat the people you find bugs or nits on.
· Please bring in the box of the shampoo you use to the health room with your child the following morning. We will reassess your child. If we see bugs, they will have to go home. Students can stay in school with nits.
· Nits will appear as dandruff. The difference is, nits are hard to move off the hair shaft. Dandruff can easily be blown or wiped away. A nit will need to be held on to and pulled off.
· Lice do not like to live off the human head. They begin to die as soon as they leave their host. The bugs transfer from head to head (hair to hair) contact. They do not travel on book bags and jackets.

Please feel free to contact the health room (410-313-5051) if you have any questions or think your child may have lice.