Public Information Office 210 S. McDonald Street Suite 626 McKinney, Texas 75069 www.collincountytx.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 13, 2007

Health Department Warns of Approaching Head Lice Season

Collin County's Health Care Services warns parents that head lice season is approaching.

"The public conception is that head lice are associated with poor hygiene, but that's just not case," according to Janet Glowicz, Collin County epidemiologist. "Head lice actually prefer the clean hair of social people."

Head lice are spread by direct contact with infested people or materials. Lice do not jump or hop. Parents often consider that schools are prime locales for transmission of head lice. Other public places are just as popular with the parasite, including movie theaters, costume parties and slumber parties.

"Parents shouldn't panic," said Dr. Mike Merchant, entomologist for Texas Cooperative Extension. "Many children become infested with head lice at some point during their school years. Whenever kids come together in a classroom setting, especially after the carefree months of summer, head lice are going to happen."

In fact, having head lice is as common as having a cold. However, a common cold does not cause the emotional reaction some individuals may have. Head lice need not disrupt school or childhood friendships.

The county's health care staff offers the following information and advice on the matter:

• Parents should periodically check their child's hair for nits.
• School districts may exclude children with head lice from attendance until one treatment has been administered.
• One treatment is not likely to remove all nits, so parents should expect that they will need to check the child's hair nightly for one to two weeks until all nits have been removed.
• A child with nits that have been treated may be allowed to return to school depending on your school's policy regarding lice.
• Blaming the school or other parents is not an effective method of stopping the spread of head lice and can be very harmful to children who may feel stigmatized.

For more online information on this parasitic disease, visit www.dshs.state.tx.us/schoolhealth. For individual school policies on head lice infestations, look for information from the school nurse or contact the school district.

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