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- Though they may be a nuisance, head lice do NOT cause any serious illness or carry any disease. They don't put your child at risk for any serious health problems.
- A child found to be with active head lice has likely had them for at least a month or more. The most common symptom of head lice is itching. It may take 4-6 weeks after lice get on the scalp for the itching to begin. Itching caused by head lice can last for weeks, even after the lice are gone.
- Head lice are not related to cleanliness. It doesn't matter how clean your hair or home may be or how long or short your hairstyle.
- Head lice are crawling insects. They cannot jump, hop or fly. The primary way head lice spread is from close, prolonged head-to-head contact - for example, during playtime, slumber parties, sports activities or camp. It is not common for them to spread by contact with items such as clothing, hats, scarves, coats or other personal items. Recent studies have shown that head lice infestations have low contagion in classrooms.
- The risk of head lice is greatest in children ages 3-11. The most important step you can take as a parent of young children is to perform routine checks for head lice to spot lice before they have time to multiply and infest your child's head. If you find that your child does have head lice, please notify the office so that we can provide you with the resources and information needed to effectively treat them.
For more information, please check out the following link: Communicating About Head Lice