Buttsgrove Way Huntingdon
PE29 1PE
Headteacher: Mr D Jones
www.thongsleyfields.org
Tel: 01480 375321 Email: [email protected] Follow: @thongsleyfields
Thongsley Fields Primary & Nursery School is an academy of The Cam Academy Trust, a company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales with
company number 0749 1945. The registered office is at Comberton Village
College, West Street, Comberton, Cambridgeshire, CB23 7DU
Thongsley Fields Primary & Nursery School
Head Lice Information & Procedures
Inclusion
Version: 1
Reviewed: September 2019
Approved: Date: Autumn 2019
Thongsley Fields Primary & Nursery School Head Lice Information & Procedures
Head Lice Information & Procedures September 2019
1. Context
Head lice are a wider societal problem and contrary to popular belief, research shows that
transmission of lice within the classroom is relatively rare. When it does occur, it is usually from a close
or ‘best’ friend.
What we know:
You can only get head lice through direct head-to-head contact with a person that has them.
Head lice can’t jump, hop or swim.
There is no evidence that head lice have a preference for either clean or dirty hair.
It is extremely rare to get head lice by sharing hats, combs or pillows.
You also don’t need to wash clothing or bedding, because head lice that fall off your head (e.g. onto
hats or pillows) are likely to die soon after.
Studies of school children indicate that approximately 4% of the population at any one time has head
lice - at Thongsley Fields, this would be approximately 12 children across the school. Outbreaks are
very rare and there is usually a perception of an outbreak rather than a reality.
2. Life span & diagnosis
The life span of a head louse is short. The adult will lay 5-6 eggs a day, glued to the base of a hair near
the scalp. The egg will take 7-10 days to hatch. The empty white egg case is often called a ‘nit’. It takes
a further 6-14 days for the louse to mature and begin to reproduce. The whole cycle takes between 2-
3 weeks.
Finding a living, moving louse on a head is the only sure way to diagnose the presence of head lice.
There are different ways of treating an infection including, many lotions and the wet combing method.
However, in order to be effective the treatment needs to be correctly applied and repeated as
directed.
3. What the research says
Recent national and international research and guidance is clear about what actions schools should
and should not take when dealing with incidents of head lice.
At Thongsley Fields, we:
• will NOT send out blanket warning letters
• will NOT routinely send children home
• will NOT routinely inspect children’s hair i.e. ‘nit nurse’.
Thongsley Fields Primary & Nursery School Head Lice Information & Procedures
Head Lice Information & Procedures September 2019
4. What the school will do
If a member of staff sees a live, moving louse in a child’s hair they:
• will consult with a member of the Leadership Team and
• will inform parents or carers preferably via a telephone call or if that is not possible, by text
message or in person at the end of the school day to inform them that a live louse has been
seen.
This will allow parents time to organise appropriate treatment for later that same evening and before
the child returns to school the following day.
Only if a child is in distress or very uncomfortable will the school recommend that the parent or
carer collect their child from school early. This decision will only be made by a member of the school’s
Leadership Team in conjunction with the child’s class teacher.
If a child is repeatedly suffering from head lice then, with the parent or carer’s agreement, we will
contact the school nursing service to seek further advice.
5. Proactive monitoring
Head lice will not be eradicated in the foreseeable future, but a sensible, informed approach, based
on fact not mythology, will help to limit the problem.
There is no good way of preventing head lice.
The best way to prevent them spreading is to check your whole family’s heads for lice regularly. You
can do this by detection combing on a weekly basis. This will help you find any lice before they have a
chance to breed and lay nits. You can then treat them quickly to prevent them from spreading to other
people.
6. Useful websites
NHS UK
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/head-lice-and-nits/
Community hygiene concern
http://www.chc.org
Once a week – take a peek campaign
http://www.onceaweektakeapeek.com
For more information and advice, please see our school website.
AN EASY-TO-USE GUIDE FOR PARENTS TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST HEAD LICE
The national parents campaign to beat school bug bullies
Produced by:
In association with:
Head Lice – Together We Can Fight Them!Head lice are a normal part of childhood
- surveys among primary school children
have found that nearly 1 in 10 have head
lice at any one time.
If you’re a parent you probably know
what a hassle it is to treat head lice and
just how frustrating it can be when your
child comes home scratching their head
yet again. But parents, you’ve got the
power to stop head lice in their tracks!
By following a simple three step process,
Check-Treat-Complete, you can fi ght
back against these bug bullies.
The Impact of LiceAnyone can get head lice although they are most common amongst children aged 4-11 who spend more time in close contact with friends and siblings. The best known symptom is itching but this is not the best indicator as many people may not itch with lice at all. Leaving lice untreated can lead to a loss of self esteem and confi dence and a general feeling of being unwell.
MYTH:
FACT:Having head lice has nothing to do with personal hygiene
Only dirty children get head lice
NIT KNOWLEDGE: 1 in 4 parents believe schools check for lice – WRONG!
Checking for head lice shouldn’t be considered a big deal, it is just a normal part of a family’s personal hygiene routine like brushing teeth or washing hair
It is best to check for head lice using a comb made for the purpose, ideally white so they can be easily seen and with teeth no more than 0.3mm apart in order to trap head lice
Combing through the hair when wet, or after applying a conditioner, may make the process more comfortable
Good lighting is important and so is comfort
How to Check
How Do You Find Head Lice?To diagnose a case of head lice you need to fi nd them alive. This is when you need to use a treatment. They move fast and are small – so they can be hard to fi nd!
Sizing Up Head LiceHead lice range in size from a full stop to a sesame seed.
Actual size in stages of growth.
Where to Peek Close to the scalp
Behind the ears
The back of the neck
The top of the head
Under the fringe
What to Peek forAdult lice are 2-4 mm long
Immature lice are even smallerLive lice remain close to the scalp Nits are dead or empty egg shells -
simply remove these by hand or by combing
CHECK You should check your children’s hair regularly, ideally once a week – a good way to remember this is ONCE A WEEK, TAKE A PEEK
CHECK...If head lice are spotted, take a close look at all the family,
including yourself, and ask close
family and friends to check as wellConsult a pharmacist
for treatment advice
The Hedrin Head Lice Detection Comb is ideal for effective checking.
Advertisement
How to get rid of head lice?
If you fi nd live lice, fi rstly, don’t worry. Head lice are a normal part of life and are nothing to be embarrassed, panicked or ashamed about.
There are FOUR types of head lice treatment:
Non-pesticide treatments
Pesticide lotions and liquids
Wet combing with conditioner
Alternative treatments
NON-PESTICIDE treatments work in a different way from conventional pesticide treatments. They kill the lice by coating and either stripping away their waxy coating, causing them to dehydrate or blocking the opening to their air tubes, disrupting their ability to manage water. These physical mode of actions mean there is theoretically no chance for the lice to build up a resistance. There are three main active ingredients currently in use, dimeticone, isopropyl and activdiol.
PESTICIDE based treatments have been around for many years but there is now evidence that head lice already have, and continue to, develop resistance to some of them. There are two main types which work by poisoning the lice but evidence suggests that levels of resistance to these treatments are rising.
WET COMBING removes lice and nits but does take time and patience to ensure a thorough job is done. It’s quite easy to miss a few and needs to be done twice a week for at least two weeks.
ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS and herbal options are available – although their effectiveness varies.
TREAT
Go to your local pharmacy for information and advice on which treatment is right for you.
Treatment should only be applied if a living, moving louse is found – never ‘just in case’
When applying treatment, cover the full length of hair and ensure treatment is left on for the recommended time – following on-pack instructions carefully
Keep lotion out of eyes and off the face – do not use the hair dryer and keep away from fl ames, stoves, cigarettes and other sources of heat
Applying treatment
Check your child’s hair a couple of days after treatment to ensure that all the headlice have been killed
If the pack instructions specify that a second application is required, repeat the treatment for a second time seven days after the fi rst to kill lice that may have hatched from the eggs during that time
Continue to check for head lice on a regular, weekly basis – ONCE A WEEK, TAKE A PEEK
COMPLETEThe treatment has been applied but there is one fi nal step, it is time to repeat the checking process.
Your Home is a Nit Free ZoneHead lice do not live away from the head.
There’s no fear of lice spreading to clothes,
furniture or bedding so excessive cleaning
is not needed. If live lice are found on
one member of your family, simply check
everyone’s hair and then treat as necessary.
Should Your Child Stay Home? If your children are checked for head lice
on a weekly basis and treated straight
away when live lice are found then they
can attend school, child care and all other
activities just as usual. But remind them
to avoid head-to-head contact with other
children until all the lice are gone.
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If the problem won’t go away If you still fi nd live lice after you fi nish the treatment either it’s failed or there has been a re-infestation. If the treatment failed you’ll usually fi nd lice of all life stages but a re-infestation will usually consist of a few adult lice. You’ll need to treat again so make sure:
You read the instructions carefully and follow them exactly You use enough treatment to cover the whole head and
full length of hair You leave the treatment on for long enough You complete the treatment course If you’re using a pesticide change to a different type
of treatment You use a good quality comb if you’re using the
‘Bug Busting’ method
To avoid inappropriate use of head lice treatments, it is worth considering whether there is in fact a true current infection. In some cases, an itchy scalp can be due to other skin problems such as eczema or other conditions such as dandruff can be mistaken for head lice. Care must be taken to accurately identify live lice and treatments should only be used when this is defi nitely the case. Speak to your healthcare professional if you are unsure.
THERE IS A REASON WHY HEDRIN IS THE NO.1 SELLING HEAD LICE BRAND
1
Hedrin 4% Lotion The Original Hedrin productContains dimeticone - always read the label
Hedrin Once A fast acting solution that takes only 15 minutes to work
Hedrin Treat & Go A fuss-free solution great for children that just want to get out and play
Reassurance ConvenienceSpeed
ALL HEDRIN BRANDED TREATMENTS: Are shown to be effective in clinical trials Have physical modes of action to
which lice cannot develop resistance Do not require laborious combing in
order to work Are skin-friendly Have no unpleasant odours and
contain no known asthma triggers
All it takes is three simple steps:
If you fi nd live lice tell your school, friends and family straight away so they can check as well.
So just remember:
Once a Week,
Take a Peek!
What to do Next“We can fi ght the spread of head lice but we need to work together.”
Ask your school to get involved with the ‘Once a Week, Take a Peek’ campaign
Tell your friends and family about the campaign
Go to the web site below for copies of
this leafl et as well as further information and sources of help:
www.onceaweektakeapeek.com
CHECK Your child’s hair once a week Use a proper detection comb to trap head lice,
preferably white in colour so they can easily be seen
If you fi nd live lice, consult a pharmacist for treatment advice
If head lice are spotted, take a close look at all the family, including yourself, and ask close family and friends to check as well
TREAT Only treat if live lice are identifi ed Use a clinically proven treatment, ideally with
a physical mode of action to which lice are very unlikely to build up resistance
Leave the treatment on for the recommended time for maximum effect – leaving it on for longer will not make it more effective
COMPLETE Check that all head lice have gone within 2-3
days of the fi nal application to complete the treatment
If the pack instructions specify that a second application is required, repeat the treatment for a second time seven days after the fi rst to kill any lice that may hatch from eggs during that time
Continue to check for head lice on a regular, weekly basis