Notes from your School Nurse | May 23rd

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Lice!

Ugh, we all hate to even hear the word!  Head lice are small, parasitic insects that live on the scalps of humans.  Head lice do not live on animals!  The adult lice, known as a louse is flat, wingless and crawls.  A louse is about the size of a sesame seed (about 2 – 3mm long). Lice crawl, they cannot jump or fly!  They have 6 legs with claws to grip onto the hair.  They are tiny and fast moving!  They are usually contracted by head-to-head contact. Lice feed off of blood of a human scalp (their saliva causes the itchy scalp). Lice glue their eggs (nits) to the hair shaft.  Nits are very tiny!  A nit is oval in shape, about the size of a  knot of thread (approximately 0.8 x 0.3mm) and are usually a yellowish to white or grayish color.  Head lice live about 28 days.  They can multiply quickly laying up to 10 eggs a day.  Nits hatch in about 7 – 12 days and release a nymph (a baby lice). It only takes about 12 days for newly hatched eggs to reach adulthood.  This cycle can repeat itself every 3 weeks if head lice are left untreated.  When nits are found on the hair shaft it does mean that a live louse has been on the head for at least 5 – 10 days before laying the eggs.  Head lice cannot survive more than 24 – 36 hours off of a human host. Head lice are a nuisance – absolutely – but they do not spread any known disease.

What are the symptoms of lice?

  • Itching is usually the first sign
  • Sores on the head or neck due to bites from the louse or from itching and scratching
  • Tickling feeling of something moving in the hair
  • Sometimes sleeplessness since lice are more active at night and can keep you up scratching

How do you check for head lice?

Regular checks for head lice are a good way to spot head lice before they have time to multiply and infest your child’s head and family members.  Weekly lice checks are strongly encouraged!  A true screening of the hair takes time!

  • Seat your child in a brightly lit room
  • Hair can be wet or dry.  Sometimes easier to comb wet hair.
  • Part the hair and look at your child’s scalp
  • Look for crawling lice and for nits.
    • Live lice are hard to find.  They are very small, they move very fast and they avoid light.
    • Nits can be confused with dandruff, dirt particles or hair spray droplets.  The way to tell the difference is that nits are attached to the hair shaft and cannot be moved easily while dandruff, dirt or particles can flake off or move easily.
  • Use a fine-toothed comb to comb through small sections of your child’s hair. 
  • After each comb-through, wipe the comb on a wet paper towel and examine the comb.
  • Examine the scalp, comb and paper towel carefully.

Management and Treatment:

  • Careful inspection and screening of the hair and scalp at home – weekly checks are recommended! 
  • Whenever one person in the family has been identified to have lice ALL family members should be checked
  • If head lice are found use a pediculicidal product, following all product directions and retreatments (be sure not to forget the re-treatment if your product recommends one!). There are many lice treatment centers around that you can also consult.  You can also contact your pediatrician’s office to get a recommendation on a product or for a prescription treatment if you feel that you are not getting rid of your family’s lice.
  • Cleaning of personal items and bed linens (see below)
  • It is helpful if you report head lice to friends and family who have had recent, close contact such as a sleepover etc over the past 7 – 10 days.
  • Report head lice to Nurse Lisa ligrant@darienps.org or 203-655-01323 ex 4203

Cleaning of personal items:

  • Soak hair-care tools (combs/brushes etc) in hot water (130 degrees F) for at least 10 minutes. Do not share combs and brushes
  • Machine wash all clothing and bed linens used by the infested person(s) during the 2 days before treatment.  Use the hot water cycle.  Dry laundry using high heat for at least 20 minutes.
  • Articles that cannot be washed such as stuffed animals, pillows or comforters can be vacuumed, dry cleaned or stored in a sealed plastic bag for 2 weeks.  Another option is to place the items in a hot drier for 20 minutes.
  • Head lice would have difficulty attaching firmly to smooth or slippery surfaces such as plastic, metal, or leather. These items can be wiped clean.
  • Floors, carpets, upholstered furniture, mattresses should be vacuumed.
  • Vehicle car seats should be vacuumed.

Role of the School Nurse

  • If a case of lice is found in school the School Nurse will evaluate the severity of the infestation to determine if the student should be sent home or can stay until the end of the school day.
    • A student with nits may remain in school
      • The School Nurse will notify the parents
      • Management and treatment will be discussed with the parents.  Students can return to school the following day after they are treated at home.
      • Students will be checked before returning to class the next day for nits and live lice.
      • Due to privacy concerns classroom letters are not sent out.  Parents should be routinely checking their child’s hair for lice.
  • School Nurses do not perform classroom lice screenings.  Classroom transmission is rare.  Transmission within a family or close proximity with friends and sleepovers are much more common.  Classroom screenings not only take an exorbitant amount of time to perform a proper screening they also take away from valuable learning time and are rarely effective. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages no nit policies in schools and believes a child should not miss school due to head lice.

I know lice is frustrating.  I am always available to talk through screening, management and treatment with you.  Call or email me!  ligrant@darienps.org or 203-655-1323 ex 4203

Positive COVID-19 Results!

If your child receives a positive COVID-19 test please contact me!  Please call 203-655-1323 ex 4203 during normal school hours (8:10am – 3:10pm) OR email me any time of day or night/afterschool hours ligrant@darienps.org .  I will be sure to get in touch with you! There is also a Darien Public School Reporting Hot Line 203-656-7440.

Is it Spring Allergies or is it COVID-19?  

It is very encouraging that our community numbers of COVID-19 are so very low!  The light at the end of the tunnel!  We always want to be careful and we should not let our guard down just yet!  If your child is experiencing symptoms of environmental, spring time allergies give me a call so that we can talk it out!  The conversation is very helpful and appreciated!  You may also consider discussing your child’s spring allergies with your pediatrician and/or obtain a doctor’s clearance note or a treatment regimen to assist with dealing with springtime allergy symptoms.

My child is waiting for results from a COVID-19 test

If your child has been tested for COVID-19 please call/email me as well as scan and email results to ligrant@darienps.org or fax results 203-656-9607 to be cleared to return to school. Your child must stay home until the results have been received and reviewed. 

Help! My child has been named a contact!

If your child has been in contact with someone who has tested positive (parent, relative, friend, nanny, teammate, extracurricular activity contact, neighbor, playdate etc) PLEASE STAY HOME! Call/email me 203-655-1323 ex 4203 or ligrant@darienps.org  You can even email on weekends and off hours!! We will talk through the contact and quarantine time frame.  If any member of your household has been diagnosed with COVID-19 do not come to school. Remote learning will be in place during quarantine. 

Travel

If you are traveling the Darien School District is encouraging all travelers to follow the CDC and CT DPH travel guidelines and recommendations for Domestic and International travel. The CDC continues to advise that travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19. After travel (and always) stay home if you are sick or if you have been in contact with someone with COVID-19. A COVID-19 test and/or quarantine after travel is recommended to keep all healthy and safe.

If you are travelling:

  • It is RECOMMENDED that on your return, you and your child(ren) stay at home and quarantine.
  • It is RECOMMENDED that you get a COVID-19 PCR or Rapid test between day 3 – 5 post travel. 
  • If you get a negative COVID-19 test it is RECOMMENDED that you continue to stay at home and quarantine and monitor for symptoms  through the 7th day post travel. 
  • If you get a positive COVID-19 test you need to ISOLATE yourself at home for 10 days to protect others from getting infected (and report to your school nurse!!)
  • If you do not get tested it is RECOMMENDED that you stay home and quarantine for 10 days post travel.
  • Please note for International travel all air passengers coming to the USA are REQUIRED to have a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board a flight to the USA.
  • Of course with all travel remember all of your protective strategies including face masks, distancing, avoiding crowded areas, washing hands etc!
  • Of course, always monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and stay home as well as get a COVID-19 test if you experience symptoms or have been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

 If you have any questions with the Travel Guidelines please call/email me 203-655-1323 ex 4203 or ligrant@darienps.org as well as review https://portal.ct.gov/coronavirus/travel  

Where do I go to get a COVID-19 test?

Don’t know where to get a COVID-19 PCR test?  Call or email me!  I keep a running list of testing stations that many families have been using and what has been helpful (or not). Here are a few that many families have used and have had good experiences with:

  • Cove Park Drive thru 1125 Cove Rd, Stamford, 8:30am – 4pm
  • Norwalk Community College Drive thru 188 Richards Avenue, Norwalk, 8:30am – 4pm
  • CIC Health 845 Canal St, Stamford (old Dinosaur BBQ location) 8:30am – 4pm
  • Yale New Haven Health drive thru 260 Long Ridge Rd, Stamford 8am – 8pm

What else is going on in the Hindley Health Office?

  • Vision screenings have been completed and referrals sent home if needed. Please contact me with any questions or concerns. Any student who did not pass their initial hearing screening will be screened again this week and referrals will be sent home after.  Per CT state statues, 2nd graders do not undergo vision/hearing screening in school.  Of course if you have a concern for your 2nd graders vision/hearing please contact me! 
  • Spring sports = spring injuries! Please remember to call or email me with any new injury (stitches, braces, casts or splints). Make sure you are asking your doctor for a note for Nurse Lisa stating any restrictions! Field Day is coming up!!  If your student has an injury I do need a doctor’s clearance note for them to be cleared to participate in PE/recess and Field Day! Call me with any questions!
  • New diagnoses? New medication? Health concern? Let me know so that we can work together!
  • Postural Screening (Scoliosis) will be done for all 5th grade girls at the end of May.  More information to follow! 
  • If your student has medications in the Health Office be on the lookout soon for pick up information planned for June.

Don’t hesitate to reach out for any questions, concerns!

Thank you!

Lisa Grant RN BSN ligrant@darienps.org 203-655-1323 ex 4203