We Don't Have A Problem, Yet!

This simple phrase seems to be the flavor of the year among the majority of school nurses. But are we really naive enough to assume we can actually start the year of totally lice free? I think not!! Rather we choose to convince ourselves that until a case falls in our lap, it doesn't exist.

The danger with this head in the sand theory is that by the time that first case walks it's way into the nurses office, not only has it had time to multiply, you can be pretty much guaranteed that the problem has been shared, and shared, and shared again!!

It's the old leaky faucet theory, it's only a little drip, no big problem. But why wait until the pipe burst, fix it now before it becomes everybody's problem.

The first week of August was Head Check Awareness Week. In recognition of this, our facility offered free head checks, the entire week, to every child that entered our facility. Every school, day care, and pharmacy in a three county radius was notified. Some schools even called applauding such a service. Newspapers, radio and television stations alike, helped to spread the word. We delighted in the knowledge that everyone would benefit from this simple precaution. After all, why shouldn't it be treated on the same level as a school physical, required shots, or much needed school supplies? We readied ourselves for the flood of children that were sure to come. And we waited! Of course we treated children, but those families entered our facility either because they already knew they had head lice or assumed they did. They did not come merely as a precaution to have their child's head checked. Finally on the last day, we had one parent who made the trip in with the sole intention of participating in Head Check Awareness Week. What was even more amazing is that this parent not only had to make transportation arrangements from some 40 minutes away (they didn't even have a car), they were also Afro American, the least likely to have a problem! Yet this mom dutifully did what the school asked of her. In our opinion, she deserves the most cooperative mother of the year award!

So now back to the original issue at hand. Are schools actually lice free at the start of each school year? To believe that we would have to believe that lice suddenly fall out of the sky sometime mid November of each year, causing an epidemic over night! Get Real!

It's doubtful that any school- at anytime- is totally without a case or two of head lice. A case or two would be one thing, but left to grow it becomes 20, 30, 40 or more cases. Is that really what you want for your child's school? Many of these children, with existing problems, ended last year in the same manner. Summer has merely been an opportunity for the lice to multiply to overwhelming and unnecessary proportions. Others caught it over the summer from playmates, visiting relatives, summer camp or similar sources. Regardless of how they got it- it could have (and should have) been excluded from joining them as they reentered a new school year. A simple head check would have helped to accomplish this.

Head lice are the number one reason for absenteeism in schools across the country, but it need not be. A simple plan of precaution and prevention could prevent thousands of needless cases each year.

We as parents, school administrators, even students need to become better educated in head lice issues. We need a clearer understanding of how they spread and what we can do to help avoid this. Working together we can make a difference. Encourage your school to act now in identifying minor problems before they become everyone's big problem. Don't believe for one second that your school is currently lice free. More importantly, don't let it grow to epidemic proportions before your school is willing to recognize that a problem exists!

Early detection is the key to controlling any situation. In doing so we can save hundreds of dollars on products that no longer work, prevent needless exposure to harmful chemicals, keep children in school and parents at work, and hopefully avoid not only stress between parents and school administration, but also stop the harm this causes on your child's self esteem.

A new school year has begun and with it will come the usual outbreak of head lice problems. Understand this- "Lice are alive and well in your child's school! Recognize this and deal with it!!"