Welcome to the clinic
It’s that time of year again; books, backpacks, pencils and LICE! Lice are very common in school age children. Lice are not related to cleanliness of the person or environment. Lice cannot jump or fly, but they do crawl fast. They are transmitted by direct head-to-head contact, or by direct contact with clothing, linens, combs, etc. Lice do not live on animals and cannot live off the human host for more than 24 hours. They are small, gray or reddish brown insects, about the size of a sesame seed, and they live mainly on the scalp of people. Lice lay eggs (nits) which are small, yellowish-white and oval-shaped. They can typically be found at the nape of the neck and behind the ears, attached to the hair shaft about ¼ inch or less from the scalp. The eggs will hatch in about 6-9 days, leading to an infestation.
If you discover nits or lice on your child, please contact your health care provider for treatment options. And finally, notify the clinic for more helpful hints.
Helpful websites with more information:
http://www.cdc.gov/lice/head/factsheet.html
2008-2009 school year information