Head lice spread in Hopkins County elementary schools; committee of school staff and parents formed to tackle problem

Head lice are becoming a greater problem in elementary schools in Hopkins County, reports The Messenger, which published the numbers of cases reported at each school in the last four years and so far this year.

"A committee of parents and school personnel was recently formed to help educate and support parents who may be combating the problem," Jenny Lee Menser reports for the Madisonville newspaper. "Until now, school policy has been to send a letter home with students who are found to have nits, or lice eggs, to inform parents that their children need to be treated, as national standards only recommend sending children with live bugs home. School officials said they will now call parents to supplement the process and ensure that they are aware."

Hopkins County (Wikipedia map)

Hopkins County Public Health Director Denise Beach told the Messenger that recurring cases in some households are at least partly to blame for the recent increase. In an earlier story, Menser quoted West Broadway Elementary parent Jessica Dockrey as saying, "One mother has a child who has had it nine times since the beginning of the school year," Dockery said. "Another parent had experienced it six times."

Beach told Menser, "If it's found several times, then we do get the registered nurse at the schools involved. They may call the parent and counsel them. We'll send educational information home. We may get the family resource or school office involved. I've even called families myself and talked to them. I've also had families come here to the health department if they have a significant problem with getting rid of them. It's just a team effort. If we have someone who continually has head lice, we all just work to try and make that situation better."

"While many over-the-counter lice treatments claim to kill nits, some entomologists say there is no guarantee, and all nits must be removed from the hair," Menser reports. "Most standards recommend treating everyone in the house; bagging all stuffed animals in airtight bags for several days; laundering all bedding in the house; vacuuming all cloth surfaces -- including the insides of automobiles; removing all nits; sanitizing all hair brushes, combs and accessories; and repeating the process seven-10 days later."

Some cosmetologists recommend white vinegar combined with a few drops of tea-tree oil in a spray bottle to spray on hair, clothing and backpacks to prevent re-infestation, Menser reports. A local pharmacist recommended adding red thyme oil to shampoo and hair conditioner.

"We've had several people use red thyme oil as a preventative," Jerry Rickard told the newspaper. "If you use four drops of red thyme oil per ounce of shampoo, lice really don't like that. For instance, if you have a four-ounce bottle of shampoo, you'd use 16 drops of oil."

Entomologist Neil Brown "said over-the-counter lice shampoos will often only kill live bugs," Menser reports. "He added that lice cannot survive more than a few hours without a host. Therefore, any lice that may be inside a school will not live through the weekend and affect students."

Back at school and already got the sniffles or other ailment? Here's a pediatrician's advice to battle back-to-school bugs

With school back in session, it probably won't be long before children are coming home with sniffles and sore throats. The average child gets six or more infections each year, reports Dr. Jacqueline Kaari, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-School of Osteopathic Medicine, who also offers advice.

"Every parent has experienced it — the hectic morning maneuvering of getting the household fed, dressed and out the door is suddenly interrupted by an inconsolable child who has a sore throat, upset stomach, sniffles or something worse," she said. "When that happens, parents need to be able to quickly assess their child and determine if he or she is well enough to go to school or needs to stay home, or if it's time to call the pediatrician. Sometimes, parents will guess wrong, but if there's one rule of thumb, it should be to always err on the side of caution."

Kaari recommends the following guidelines for what do when it comes to:

Colds: Use child-strength, over-the-counter medicines and a cool mist humidifier to treat symptoms. Because they are caused by viruses, do not treat colds with antibiotics. Children can go to school if the symptoms won't impede them from participating in school activities.

Conjunctivitis (pinkeye): Go to the doctor for treatment, which is generally antibiotic eye drops. Children can usually go to school 24 to 48 hours after treatment starts.

Fever: Give acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) for low-grade fevers. Have the child drink lots of fluids and avoid fatty or fried foods, since fevers decrease stomach activity and make digestion more difficult. Keep children at home if the fever is above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Call the doctor if a high fever lasts more than 24 hours or does not respond to medicine.

Flu: Have the child vaccinated. If he or she has not been vaccinated, keep the child home for several days and make sure he or she gets lots of rest and drinks lots of fluids.

Head lice: Kill with over-the-counter or prescription lotions and shampoos. Keep the child at home until all lice have been killed.

Ringworm: Look for small patches of skin that are scaly and red. They can also blister and ooze. Apply anti-fungal ointments or powders. Call the doctor if the infection is severe or does not go away.

Sore throat: If parents suspect strep throat, they should call the doctor. If drinking water relieves symptoms somewhat, the child likely has a viral infection that should go away in a few days.

Stomach ache: Children who have been vomiting should stay home from school. An hour after the child vomits, parents should start introducing small drinks of water. Clear liquids and bland food should be introduced throughout the day. If vomiting lasts more than 24 hours or if the child vomits blood or green or yellow bile, call the doctor.

Whooping cough (pertussis): Have the child vaccinated. If parents suspect whooping cough, characterized by a "whooping" sound when the child tries to breathe, call the doctor. (Read more)