Preventing Lice
To prevent spreading, DON'T share or borrow hair items such as combs, headbands, headgear, hats, headphones or other personal items. As a precaution, long hair can be tied back in braids.
In case of infestation, all clothing, head gear, scarves, towels and bedding should be washed in very hot water, followed by at least 20 minutes in the dryer on the hot cycle. Dry cleaning should suffice for blankets, jackets or other non-washables. Mattresses of infested persons should not be used for 48 hours in an effort to break the cycle of re-infestation. Combs and any daily-use hair accessories should also be washed.
About Nit Policies
Parents may find that their local school board has implemented a 'no nit policy' that prevents children with visible nits from attending class until treated successfully. This may involve a lengthy absence from school.
Nits are tiny lice eggs attached to individual strands of hair. The female adult can produce five to six nits per day for up to 30 days. A nit cannot hatch unless it is close to the warmth of the human scalp (within one centimeter). The presence of nits does not necessarily indicate that a lice infestation is ongoing. Only the presence of a live louse warrants treatment.
The Canadian Paediatric Society advocates that schools and other organized childcare and education institutions maintain their general routines even when nits are identified, providing that the infested child is discouraged from head-to-head contact with others. The American Academy of Pediatrics also discourages the no-nit approach. Among the reasons given are:
- The presence of nits may be from a past infestation. Treatment is therefore warranted when active adult lice are visible on the scalp.
- No-nit policies tend to cause a response that is out of proportion to the medical significance of head lice infestation.
- There is no sound medical rationale to keep students with inactive nits at home.