Head Lice -Does the School Inform Anymore?

Meleuca oil also kills the critters. If you use shamnpoo w/ Melaleuca in it - the critters are repelled.

I know our school (in McKinney ISD) doesn't send home a note until a third case in the same classroom is reported ... which is crazy! My kids have yet to have it, but their friends have. I've started some preventative measures ... I add 15 drops of Tea Tree Oil to my kids' shampoo bottle. Supposedly, the lice don't like the smell. Also, we found out that they don't wipe off the headphones that all the kids share during computer lab. I'm not sure if that is how it's spreading, but it's worth checking into.

A lot of school systems have abandoned the "No Nits" policies that keep kids out of school due to a head lice infestation. Part of it is the enactment of "No Child Left Behind". A lot of it, though, is the American Academy of Pediatrics vocalizing that head lice is not a serious health concern (they don't transmit any known diseases) but rather a nuisance and a major source of frustration.

I'd check your school system to see what the policy is as a reason for which you might not be getting a note. School nurses are also horribly overworked. Whereas you used to have 1 nurse to each school, now they're responsible for 2-3, and H1N1 has made their lives very complicated this year putting head lice on the back burner.

Here are a few sites that have information on schools and their head lice policies:
National Association of School Nurses: http://www.nasn.org/Default.aspx?tabid=237
American Academy of Pediatrics: http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/pediatri...
DrItchy.com: http://www.DrItchy.com
MyHeadLiceTreatment.com: http://www.myheadlicetreatment.com

Hope this helps you out. I know it stinks to have to deal with them.
Good luck.

I think someone either has to suspect for them to look... or a parent has to call the office and let them know their kids have it, then they will check the class... and send home notes.

When my son got lice a few years back, I called and asked if anyone else had it... they checked and then sent a note saying several kids in a his grade had lice and what needed to be done. Then they recheck those kids.

ok the school should definitely inform you. I'd talk to the principal and let him know it's a health code requirement to notify parents and ask that he discreetly notify through notes when a classroom has had an issue with lice

I think the school should inform the parents. When my daughter was in elementary school they did inform parents.

As a precautionary measure, I bought all kinds of products for getting rid of the little creatures and kept it in my laundry. My plan was if we ever got a call from the nurse, etc, my daughter would go no further than the laundry room for starters and THEN I would continue to treat the house.

Luckily, we never had an issue BUT, I also bought a hair spray that was supposed to repel them and I sprayed her head, especially when I knew there was an outbreak.

I knew of outbreaks a little earlier than a lot of parents because I substitute at her school.

I understand where the nurses are coming from as far as "they don't spread disease" but I've heard horror stories from those who have to get them out of the house and children's hair.

Good luck

We informed our school immediately when our daughter came home with this and they sent a note out to all the parents.

I found the best way to deal with this is to prevent it from ever happening again. We found a fabulous kid's shampoo that protects our daughter from getting it in the first place. I bought it at "Sweet and Sassy" in Allen - Watters Creek. It's called "Circle of Friends Lice Defense". I don't care for the hairspray, but the shampoo and leave-in-conditioner are great. Also Kroger has a tea tree oil shampoo that may work too. It's in the homeopathic section and it's by "Jason"

we were informed when Lice was in our "class" I was told that tea tree oil repels them, I bought some of the oil and just put a dab on the nap of their neck (hair line) and we didn't have a problem. I've also heard that you can put the oil in their shampoo, or buy shampoo with the oil already in it. Good luck

If there is a large number of students with the 'critters' the school is supposed to send a notice out to all parents. My guess is they are not aware how many children actually have it.

Can't help you on your policy question but, I always put gel in my boy's hair daily and use hairspray on my daughter and have heard that is why my kids don't get it. I guess lice do not like hair product. Sorry you have to go through this so many times. On the up side, they say only the "clean" kids get it, lice like a clean head, if that is an up side.....

sorry you had to deal with it! We are in lisd also and they have to send a note home if it is in your child's class. only the class with it has to get a note. hope that helps - good luck!

The school probably doesn't know. Where I teach, kids are sent home if they have live lice. It is nice to notify the school nurse if you find it on your child. Other children in the class may have it and pass it back to your kiddo unless the entire class is checked. Hope this helps.

Sweet and Sassy in highland Village sells a product. I cant remember the name, they have shampoo and stuff. Just tell them your looking for the stuff that helps keep lice away. They make a leave in spray that I have been using for a year now. I just spray my girls hair with it after every bath, like a leave in conditioner. It has something in it that repeals lice, plus it also make the hair really soft. I works great.