Pediculosis - Head Lice

This WebQuest provides information to educators and families of our centre about head lice. 

Information about the disease is provided, with treatment methods. 

Prevention and control will be covered, along with necessary days of absence if contracted.

Links to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) are made.

Information about Head Lice

Adult head lice are roughly 2–3 mm long. Head lice infest the head and neck and attach their eggs to the base of the hair shaft. Lice move by crawling; they cannot hop or fly.

Head lice infestation, or pediculosis, is spread most commonly by close person-to-person contact.

Infestation with head lice is most common among pre-school children attending child care and the household members of infested children. 

Head lice are spread by direct contact with the hair of an infested person. Anyone who comes in head-to-head contact with someone who already has head lice is at greatest risk.

Personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of head lice infestation is best made by finding a live nymph or adult louse on the scalp or hair of a person.

Because adult and nymph lice are very small, move quickly, and avoid light, they may be difficult to find. Use of a fine-toothed louse comb may facilitate identification of live lice.

Treatment

All household members and other close contacts should be checked; those persons with evidence of an active infestation should be treated. 

Treating the infested person(s): Requires using an Over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medication. Follow these treatment steps:

1. Before applying treatment, it may be helpful to remove clothing that can become wet or stained during treatment.
2. Apply lice medicine, also called pediculicide, according to the instructions contained in the box or printed on the label. If the infested person has very long hair (longer than shoulder length), it may be necessary to use a second bottle. Pay special attention to instructions on the label or in the box regarding how long the medication should be left on the hair and how it should be washed out.
   

   WARNING:

   Do not use a combination shampoo/conditioner, or conditioner before using lice medicine. Do not re–wash the hair for 1–2 days after the lice medicine is removed.

• Have the infested person put on clean clothing after treatment.
• If a few live lice are still found 8–12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not retreat. The medicine may take longer to kill all the lice. Comb dead and any remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine–toothed nit comb.
• If, after 8–12 hours of treatment, no dead lice are found and lice seem as active as before, the medicine may not be working. Do not retreat until speaking with your health care provider; a different pediculicide may be necessary. If your health care provider recommends a different pediculicide, carefully follow the treatment instructions contained in the box or printed on the label.
• Nit (head lice egg) combs, often found in lice medicine packages, should be used to comb nits and lice from the hair shaft. Many flea combs made for cats and dogs are also effective.
• After each treatment, checking the hair and combing with a nit comb to remove nits and lice every 2–3 days may decrease the chance of self–reinfestation. Continue to check for 2–3 weeks to be sure all lice and nits are gone. Nit removal is not needed when treating with spinosad topical suspension.
• Re-treatment is meant to kill any surviving hatched lice before they produce new eggs. For some drugs, re-treatment is recommended routinely about a week after the first treatment (7–9 days, depending on the drug) and for others only if crawling lice are seen during this period. Re-treatment with lindane shampoo is not recommended.

As educators we have a duty of care to families and colleagues of our centre to inform and educate them on common diseases they may come into contact with. 

The EYLF highlight this in outcome 3:2: Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and wellbeing. 

Educators promote continuity of children's personal health and hygiene by sharing ownership of routines and schedules with children, families and the community (DEEWR, 2009).