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The children went to school. Some have returned after the summer break, others are just starting their adventure with education. In addition to grades in individual subjects, colds and flu, a child from kindergarten or school may bring lice. What to do in this case? How to react and why is it better not to be ashamed?
Lice at school – “mom, my head is itchy”
If you send your child to school, sooner or later you will hear from him “mom, my head is itchy”. After careful examination of the cause of the problem, the diagnosis is usually the same – head lice. What kind of illness is that?
– Lice is caused by a parasite called lice. Depending on the type of louse, it can cause head lice (head lice), clothing lice (clothing lice) and pubic lice (pubic lice). Head lice are found in the hair, especially behind the ears and around the back of the head. They feed on blood, and itchy inflammatory lumps form at the site of the injection. As a result of scratching, they can be subject to secondary bacterial infection – explains Dr. Małgorzata Marcinkiewicz, a dermatologist and venereologist from the Damian Medical Center in Warsaw.
The very word “lice” causes panic among adults. The disease is associated with poor hygiene and neglect. Meanwhile, it turns out that lice infect most often in children aged 3 to 12 years. They play together, use the same combs for hair, toys, mattresses and bedding. Children do not care about conventions – they hug each other, borrow personal items and toys. This is when infection most often occurs.
– I remember my daughter came from school and said that her head was itching. She was still scratching. I was chilled when I saw little “worms” in my hair. The daughter is blonde and you could see them clearly. I admit that I panicked at first. Where did the lice come from for my child? After all, it is not dirty at home, the daughter bathes every day and often washes her head – says Dorota, mother of 12-year-old Kinga.
Dorothy reacted immediately. First, she went to the pharmacy and asked for lice-fighting preparations. Whoever watched the cult series “Nanny” (in Polish version with Agnieszka Dygant) can imagine what this scene looked like.
– After returning from the pharmacy, I ordered a check of the heads of the whole family. Fortunately, lice did not manage to pass onto the heads of other household members, but everyone had to wash their heads in a special preparation anyway. I also called the school. I was terribly stupid, but I told the headmistress that I had found lice on my son’s head – I didn’t want anyone to guess that it was about Kinga. I said which class she is in. Kinga did not go to school for a few days – adds Dorota.
When the daughter returned to school, it turned out that there were more children infected with lice. Nobody officially spoke about it, but the children and parents found out about new cases among themselves. Eventually, after a few weeks, the problem seemed to be resolved. Usually, head lice can be cured on their own with the help of funds available at the pharmacy. Sometimes, however, a medical consultation is needed.
– If a child scratches the puncture sites intensively, oozing, erosions and superinfection may appear. In such a case, a medical consultation is sometimes necessary to start antibacterial treatment – explains Dr. Marcinkiewicz.
Dorota alerted the school to the problem. However, it is often the case that parents are ashamed that their child has contracted head lice. If they start treatment and fix the problem, then probably nothing will happen. Worse, when a sick child still goes to school and has contact with peers. Then there is another infection. What can the director do with the knowledge that there is lice in his facility?
After receiving information from the parent that the child has been diagnosed with head lice, the school management must take appropriate steps to eliminate this disease. The school nurse or hygienist is required to check the cleanliness of the head of all children in the group. Employees who teach in a given class must also undergo scrutiny. This must be done under conditions that allow privacy.
Then the nurse or director of the facility notifies the parents of the results of the check and recommends treatment against lice in the case of infected children. After 7-10 days, another school check should take place.
– Treatment of head lice depends on the preparation to be used. Various forms are available in pharmacies, such as creams, lotions, shampoos. It is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions, apply correctly, brush the dead lice and detached nits and repeat the procedure if necessary. Remember to wash and disinfect items that have come into contact with your hair (towels, bedding, household items) to prevent re-contamination. It is comforting that the louse dies outside the host (human) after a few days – adds the expert in an interview with MedTvoiLokony.
If the parents fail to undertake the treatment for head lice, the director may notify the social welfare center in connection with the need to intensify supervision over the child’s parents’ caring functions and to provide the necessary support.
Prevention of head lice
It is difficult to protect your child from head lice, but you can minimize the risk of infection. It is worth teaching a child the rules of hygiene from an early age, explaining that you do not borrow personal hygiene items, such as brushes, combs or rubber bands. The same goes for headgear.
It is also good to systematically check the condition of the skin and hair of the child, especially the small one who has frequent contact with peers. While playing, the child should have their hair pinned up or tied up. It is also important to comb them daily and properly care for them.
If, nevertheless, lice do appear in your child, do not panic. Thanks to the available preparations, they can be completely removed. Mocking and stigmatizing the problem will not do any good. It’s also worth remembering that while lice usually affect children, an adult can also become infected.
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