lice *sigh*

[Brit]

so I know for a fact one of the kids I work with has lice. here's my question: if you, the TEACHER think you've caught it, who do you get to check for you? I see nothing, but I FEEL itchy! what sorry sap do I beg to check my head for me?

[Boxcar]

Your school nurse would be my first suggestion. If you are like my center and don't have a nurse, you can go to the UrgentCare at a local clinic. UrgentCare is a walk - in clinic for cases that are like this. It is like an emergency room without the emergency.

You can also ask your principal or director to write a slip for you to go get examined at a place like WorkOne. You know the place you had a pre-employment drug screening? Well, if you had a drug test at a place... Anyway, they will do things like this at no cost to you.

If you can't find someone, it doesn't hurt to treat without a "diagnosis". You can buy home kits at the drugstore.

Remember, if you do go to any healthcare faciliaty be appropriate. Warn the staff, wear a head covering or a hood, and all that.

This is probably one of the most dreaded epidemics that can take over a classroom. I feel your pain and am sending lots of (((hugs))) and hopes that you don't have it.

[David]

We have school assistants who check the kids's hair. I'm not sure what I'd be looking for. Luckily the nits have never wanted to pay me a visit.

[Boxcar]

On a side note-ish: The more product you use in your hair, the less likely you are to get lice. So, if you wear your hair back with hairspray or hardening gel, you lower your odds of an attack.

[lynn bambusch]

We have a school nurse, but she only here 1/2 day a week. Our counselor or office staff has been good about checking heads. I had a student a few years ago who repeatedly had lice. It would get cleared up and she'd visit her mother for the week end. Then she'd have it again. My head itched the entire year, yet I never caught them. Power of suggestion. Good luck and keep reminding the kids not to share combs or hats. It is an occupational hazard but it sure is a bother!

[silvana]

Ok this may seem mean but you really made me laugh when I read your post Brit. After teaching so long you forget just how annoying and upsetting getting nits might be. At one time I would tie my hair up and stay well away from any head I thought might be carrying.....now I just think if I get them ...what the hell ...I just buy some shampoo and get rid of the little blighters .... you did cheer me up though =)

[schultzoh]

do school still do random head checks? It seems I remember having them every so often when I was in elementary school.

[auntbea]

Boxcar is right. The more gel, hairspray, goop, you can use in your hair the better. Also , blowdrying helps kill any nits. Try to keep your hair back, use lots of hand sanitizer, and use a pencil or craft stick to scratch.

Have the nurse or even another teacher who knows what they are looking for check your head. Again, like it was said, it never hurts to treat. You can also use mayo, tie a walmart bag around your head with the mayo on, and leave it for several hours. You can also use olive oil. My personal children have gotten them from others, and I didn't want to use the harsh chemicals, so I used the olive oil. You still have to comb out the nits. The little devils are getting immune to the Rid and other products. The deal is, the bugs breath through their sides and the olive oil will suffocate them. But it takes quite a while.

Sympathy to you. Both my girls had long, thick hair at the time, we lived in a two story 4 bedroom home with lots of stuffed animals and carpet. Very expensive to treat.
I, too, had a student who habitually had lice. I would talk to the parent, but little progress. I would make me so mad. It wasn't fair to me or the other students.

[Boxcar]

Thank you so much for the alternative remedies! I didn't know you could use olive oil, and it sounds much better than the commerical chemicals. :)

[carrieSAtoUSA]

Go figure - our school system DOESN'T do random hair checks any more. AND, if a student gets lice, parents in the class are NOT notified!!! This makes me ill because it spreads so quickly. If my child was in a class where there were lice, I would want to know so that I could keep a check on my child!

[Boxcar]

You can't notify the parents that thier child was exposed to lice? I mean, I get that naming names isn't okay, but that seems like a health hazard... Sometimes, I don't get the rules...

[teacher5]

Brit- Be smart. Get yourself checked by the school nurse. If she can check the kids, she can check you, too! If you got those little buggers buy the over the counter shampoo that is made specifically for this. Use it and a few days it will be gone. Also, make sure the nurse checks every kid in your room. Also, the kid or kids who have it must be recheckec by the nurse upon returning to school. This is our policy. Also, a letter goes home, as per the school district policy and Bd. of Health telling her child's parent or guardian that one or more cases has been detected, and to check at home, too. It tells them the children were checked at school and will be rechecked. I hope you don't have it, but if you do, take care of it. Good luck!

[teach3rd]

This may not be a concern. If you use hairspray or mouse those little creatures will leave you alone 99% of the time. I do know that they thought makes your mind play terrible games.

[huntoften]

I'm itching just reading this on the computer!