***LICE ALERT***
***LICE ALERT***
***LICE ALERT***
DEAR PARENT OR GUARDIAN,
The following information is intended to educate and raise awareness regarding head lice.
We appreciate very much the consideration parents’ show for others by notifying us when their child has
head lice. It allows us to help you get the proper treatment, advice, and can prevent an outbreak in the
classroom and school.
What To Do If You Find Lice Or Nits
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TREAT, remembering that poisons are not necessary but careful combing/examining is.
READ below for information about treatment. Want more information: Contact the Lice
Association @ http//www.headlice.org or call the school’s Health Office.
NOTIFY the Nurse at (206)-361-4276. Provide your child’s name, room number and your
daytime phone number, especially if you would like a call back.
RETURN to school--After completing the initial careful combing, call the Health Office so we
can do a quick check and make sure your child is ready to return to school.
COMB AND EXAMINE FAITHFULLY – This is very time consuming BUT necessary!
More and more we are finding that the key to managing lice is removing all the nits by
combing or picking by hand. By combing, we mean careful, thorough combing with a long-toothed,
fine comb such as the LICEMEISTER to remove all nits. On the reverse side of this letter are some
non-poisonous ideas that some people have found helpful in removing nits. Your best investment in
lice treatment may well be this comb.
HERE ARE SOME TIPS THAT MIGHT HELP:
WHAT ARE HEAD LICE?
Head lice are small insects, only about 1/16 of an inch long. They are
grayish-white with dark edges. Lice cannot fly, hop or jump but they move quickly, making them hard to
find in a child’s hair. Lice like both clean and dirty hair. The presence of lice is usually determined when
lice eggs called nits are found. Nits are small, about 1/32 of an inch long and shaped like a teardrop. Nits
are “glued” to the hair and cannot be washed or brushed away like dandruff. The nits tend to cluster
behind the ears and at the nape of the neck.
SYMPTOMS: Itchy scalp is the most common symptom. Scratching can lead to skin sores and infection
that may require medical attention. Remember, scalps may be itchy for many reasons.
HOW IS LICE SPREAD?
Lice are spread by head-to-head contact with a person who has head lice, by
sharing hats, scarves, combs, brushes or hair clips, and much less so by placing oneself or one’s clothes
against an infested clothes or furniture. Pets do not carry head lice.
TREATMENT
The following is information supported by the National Pediculosis (Lice) Association (NPA):
 No pesticide product is necessary to get rid of head lice. Anything that kills lice is a pesticide.
 Remove ALL nits. This assures total treatment. Separate hair sections and remove all attached
nits with a fine-toothed comb, baby scissors or your fingernails.
 Check hair carefully daily for signs of lice or nits. If you see more nits, remove them. [An added
comment from a school nurse: Comb twice daily with an effective nit comb for 2 weeks even if
you don’t see any lice.]
 Check all family members, but only provide careful care for those with evidence of infestation.
Updated 10/06
***LICE ALERT***
***LICE ALERT***
***LICE ALERT***
 Wash bedding and recently worn clothing in hot water and dry on the hot setting. Combs and
brushes should be soaked in hot water, above 120 F for 10 minutes. Vacuum upholstered
furniture, mattresses, rugs, stuffed animals and car seats.
 NEVER use lice sprays. Lice sprays are pesticides they do not help and COST $$$.
 While the National Pediculosis (Lice) Association (NPA) does not recommend the use of
pesticides/Products like RID or NIX, if you choose to do so, consult your pharmacist or health
care provider before applying or using lice treatment pesticides if the person treating or being
treated is pregnant, nursing, has asthma, allergies, epilepsy, pre-existing medical conditions, or has
nits in the eyebrows or eyelashes. Never, ever use a lice pesticide on or near the eyes.
 Remember, all lice killing products are pesticides and are not recommended by the NPA but, if
used, should only be applied by an adult. The NPA strongly discourages prescription treatments
containing lindane due to their toxicity. Follow instructions for using lice shampoo or crème rinse
precisely. Use the product over the sink, not in the tub or shower. Always keep the eyes covered.
Some products may be less toxic than others. Children should not apply and shampoo their hair,
parents should apply it and monitor the recommended process.
 Check for lice on a regular basis.
RESOURCES
 National Pediculosis Association website: http//www.headlice.org
 Public Health Department Lice Hotline (206)296-4949, tape #6 or (206)339-5220 and ask for lice
information
 Children’s Resource Line (206)987-2500
Below is a recipe for non-poisonous shampoo that might help make the process of nit removal
easier. Even this needs careful supervision and thorough combing with follow-up combing. Vinegar
and shampoo do not kill the lice or eggs, it just makes it easier to pull the nit off of the hair shaft.
All Natural Head Lice Shampoo Recipe
Mix 1-cup apple cider vinegar (not clear vinegar) with 1/4-cup shampoo.
1. Wet hair with warm water.
2. Add 2 ounces (1/4 cup) of vinegar/shampoo mixture to hair and massage for 5 minutes. DO NOT
RINSE.
3. Add 2 more ounces of mixture to hair and massage 5 more minutes. DO NOT RINSE.
4. Leave mixture on hair and scalp for 15 minutes.
5. With shampoo/vinegar mixture still in the hair, comb through the hair with any fine-tooth comb to
assist in removing the nits that have been released.
6. Rinse thoroughly with a strong spray of very warm water. The nits should be loosened from the
hair shaft and easier to remove.
7. Inspect under a bright light.
This shampoo is all-natural and will not harm your child. We recommend that you use this shampoo
mixture every day until all nits and lice are removed from the hair.
Remember in trying to get rid of lice, even if you use the products containing poison, you still have
to do the same, time-consuming combing and nit picking. Products that help loosen
eggs may make the combing easier.
Updated 10/06