5141.221
Students
Pediculosis
The
Board of Education authorizes the Superintendent of Schools to work with the
School Medical Advisor in an effort to develop and implement regulations
concerning pediculosis or head lice. The regulations are to include
identification, treatment procedures, and notification process which will
insure prompt and medically accurate action for students having pediculosis.
The regulations are also to include assertive procedures which will reduce the
opportunity of spreading pediculosis to other students.
Policy adopted: March
9, 2004 EAST
HADDAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Moodus,
Connecticut
5141.221(a)
Student
Pediculosis Guidelines
Identification
If a
teacher or other school employee views the following symptoms, the student is
to be referred to the school nurse or school health aide for a pediculosis
screening.
A. Excessive
scratching of the scalp.
B. Observation
of nits (ivory colored eggs approximately 1/32" in length) or lice in
hair.
Procedures Regarding Individual Students
1. If live lice or nits appearing in close
proximity to scalp are observed the student is to be considered to have
pediculosis. In this situation the Principal will exclude the student, and the
nurse will instruct the parent or guardian on treatment procedures and
precautions against spreading. The school nurse/health aide or Principal will
notify parents immediately. The State of Connecticut Prevention and Control
of Head Lice ‑‑ A Manual for Schools (Department of
Education/Department of Health Services, 1985) publication is to be used as a
reference by the school nurse when communicating with parents and conducting
the screening procedure.
2. The nurse or school aide will do head
checks on all students in the classroom and on any students who are siblings of
infected student. Examination consists of sectioning and parting of hair using
wooden applicator sticks. If students have siblings in other schools, the nurse
will notify the school nurse of that school. The siblings will be screened
immediately.
3. Identified students may return to
school immediately following treatment which includes the application of head
louse shampoo. The parent will be required to sign a statement attesting to the
administration of appropriate treatment, and the student will be rescreened by
the nurse or school health aide (see form #5141.221f).
4. Identified students are to be
rescreened seven to ten days after readmittance to school. Parents will be
required to sign a statement attesting to the administration of appropriate
treatment at that point in time (see form 5141.221g).
5. If there are nits which are not close
to the scalp in a student's hair and there is a question as to whether there is
a currently active infestation, implementation of the above‑stated
procedure will be strongly recommend to the parents. This is to be done in the
best interest of the student and the school community.
5141.221(b)
Students
Pediculosis Guidelines
Procedures Regarding Individual Students (continued)
6. To ensure confidentiality, the names of
the students who have pediculosis will be shared with no other parents and with
only those staff members which the Principal deems to have a reason to know. No
parents other than the parent of a student in question will be present when a
student is being individually rechecked by the nurse or health aide.
7. If a student's pediculosis problem does
not appear to be eliminated by the standard medical treatment, the school
medical advisor may intervene and request the school Principal to exclude the
student from school until all lice or nits have been removed from the student's
head.
Procedures Regarding the School Community
1. If a count of active pediculosis cases
exceeds ten percent (10%) of the school enrollment during a ten (10) calendar
day period of time, the nurse or school health aide is to check the entire
school. This decision is to be made by the school nurse and the school
Principal.
2. If a student has been declared an
inactive case and becomes infected at another point in time, he or she will be
reclassified as an unduplicated active case when the new one percent count is
being calculated.
3. The school Principal and nurse are to
assess the extent of the problem and form a plan of action regarding
notification of parents of non‑afflicted students. If the nurse and the
school Principal decide to inform parents of non‑involved students a
letter similar to the attached example may be used (Sample letter for
Notification of Pediculosis in School #5141.221 Form 1) If it is decided that
more information needs to be distributed or there is a second school wide
screening, a mailer can be done which includes more specific information
(Prevention and Control of Pediculosis 5141.221Form 2)
4. If within 60 calendar days of the first
school wide Pediculosis screening the ten percent criteria needed to activate a
second school wide screening is reached, the Supervisor of Special Services is
to be added to the school nurse‑school Principal decision making team. If
the Pediculosis criteria is reached for a third time within the 60 calendar day
period an administrator and the School Medical Advisor are to become part of
the decision making team. The school Superintendent is to be notified of the
situation.
5141.221(c)
Students
Pediculosis Guidelines
Procedures Regarding the School Community (continued)
5. If a substantial number of pediculosis
cases exist in a school or there are continually recurring cases, the School
Medical Advisor, after consulting with the school nurse, may advise the school
administration to implement a "no nit order." This order would mean
that even appropriately treated students are not be readmitted into the school
if there are any nits in their hair.
Regulation approved: March
9, 2004 EAST HADDAM
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Moodus,
Connecticut