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September 24. 2012 10:18PM
Londonderry's North School dealing with minor lice outbreak
LONDONDERRY — Parents of children attending North Elementary School are being urged to watch out for signs of head lice at home after 10 of the school’s 474 students tested positive for the condition over the past several days.
According to Principal Mary Coltin, the presence of head lice isn’t uncommon this time of the year.
“I wouldn’t call it an epidemic at this time, but yes, 10 is a bit on the high side,” Coltin said Monday afternoon, noting that she typically sees a handful of head lice cases each fall. Most of the time, parents spot the insects at home and then notify school staff, she said.
School officials said the lice cases were spread among five different classrooms.
A letter was sent to the school’s parents late Monday afternoon notifying them of the district’s decision to check the heads of all North School students and staff this week.
As is always the case when a child tests positive for head lice, Coltin said she and her staff members make sure to promptly inform parents of the child’s classmates.
If a child with head lice has siblings at other schools, staff members at school and any after-school programs such as the YMCA or local Cub Scouts and Brownie troops are notified. In keeping with the Londonderry School District’s “No Nit” policy, children with head lice must pass inspection by their school’s nurse before being allowed back in school.
One North School parent, who contacted the Union Leader in an anonymous email, expressed concerns that a proposed district-wide policy on the usage of cleaning products in classrooms could make matters worse.
Facilities Director Chuck Zappala said the policy in question, which is still being debated by the School Board and has not yet been put into practice, is under consideration due to rising concerns over air quality.
“The problems with the lice have absolutely nothing to do with us discontinuing the use of certain cleaning products,” Zappala said. “But most of the time, a simple juice spill doesn’t require using antibacterial wipes that might be loaded with chemicals and could present a health risk for kids with allergies or asthma.”
The new policy, which will be further discussed during Tuesday night’s School Board meeting, would ban certain cleaning products from district facilities, replacing them with items containing fewer harsh chemicals.
Zappala said the affected North School classrooms would be sprayed with an insecticide Monday evening.
“If there are any lice still present in these classrooms, they’ll be dead before the kids come to class on Tuesday,” he said.
So far, there have been no confirmed cases of head lice at the town’s two other elementary schools, Matthew Thornton and South School.
According to the state Department of Education, state law doesn’t require schools to report cases of head lice, also known as pediculosis.
The tiny insects live on the scalp and hair of their human hosts. Symptoms of lice infestation include persistent scratching of the head and back of the neck, red bite marks on the scalp and neck, and, occasionally, swollen neck glands.
The pests crawl from person-to-person directly or onto shared personal items such as combs, brushes, head coverings, clothing, bedding or towels. Lice will die within 48 hours if they fall off a person’s head and don’t make their way to another host.
Once the lice are established on a human host, bathing or shampooing does little to get rid of them. Over-the-counter remedies containing the ingredient Pyrethins, such as Rid and Triple X, are the only known way to eliminate the pests. Often these treatments need to be repeated several times to kill all of the insects, and stronger prescription remedies may be prescribed for the more stubborn cases.
Coltin said her staff members have already taken an important step in wiping out the tiny pests for the remainder of the school year.
Until now, children in physical education classes wore different colored, over-the-head mesh vests on upper bodies during games of kickball and other sports.
With the presence of head lice in the school, Coltin said she decided to replace those vests with sashes that tie around the waist.
“It will be one less thing for parents to worry about that way,” she said.
aguilmet@newstote.com
According to Principal Mary Coltin, the presence of head lice isn’t uncommon this time of the year.
“I wouldn’t call it an epidemic at this time, but yes, 10 is a bit on the high side,” Coltin said Monday afternoon, noting that she typically sees a handful of head lice cases each fall. Most of the time, parents spot the insects at home and then notify school staff, she said.
School officials said the lice cases were spread among five different classrooms.
A letter was sent to the school’s parents late Monday afternoon notifying them of the district’s decision to check the heads of all North School students and staff this week.
As is always the case when a child tests positive for head lice, Coltin said she and her staff members make sure to promptly inform parents of the child’s classmates.
If a child with head lice has siblings at other schools, staff members at school and any after-school programs such as the YMCA or local Cub Scouts and Brownie troops are notified. In keeping with the Londonderry School District’s “No Nit” policy, children with head lice must pass inspection by their school’s nurse before being allowed back in school.
One North School parent, who contacted the Union Leader in an anonymous email, expressed concerns that a proposed district-wide policy on the usage of cleaning products in classrooms could make matters worse.
Facilities Director Chuck Zappala said the policy in question, which is still being debated by the School Board and has not yet been put into practice, is under consideration due to rising concerns over air quality.
“The problems with the lice have absolutely nothing to do with us discontinuing the use of certain cleaning products,” Zappala said. “But most of the time, a simple juice spill doesn’t require using antibacterial wipes that might be loaded with chemicals and could present a health risk for kids with allergies or asthma.”
The new policy, which will be further discussed during Tuesday night’s School Board meeting, would ban certain cleaning products from district facilities, replacing them with items containing fewer harsh chemicals.
Zappala said the affected North School classrooms would be sprayed with an insecticide Monday evening.
“If there are any lice still present in these classrooms, they’ll be dead before the kids come to class on Tuesday,” he said.
So far, there have been no confirmed cases of head lice at the town’s two other elementary schools, Matthew Thornton and South School.
According to the state Department of Education, state law doesn’t require schools to report cases of head lice, also known as pediculosis.
The tiny insects live on the scalp and hair of their human hosts. Symptoms of lice infestation include persistent scratching of the head and back of the neck, red bite marks on the scalp and neck, and, occasionally, swollen neck glands.
The pests crawl from person-to-person directly or onto shared personal items such as combs, brushes, head coverings, clothing, bedding or towels. Lice will die within 48 hours if they fall off a person’s head and don’t make their way to another host.
Once the lice are established on a human host, bathing or shampooing does little to get rid of them. Over-the-counter remedies containing the ingredient Pyrethins, such as Rid and Triple X, are the only known way to eliminate the pests. Often these treatments need to be repeated several times to kill all of the insects, and stronger prescription remedies may be prescribed for the more stubborn cases.
Coltin said her staff members have already taken an important step in wiping out the tiny pests for the remainder of the school year.
Until now, children in physical education classes wore different colored, over-the-head mesh vests on upper bodies during games of kickball and other sports.
With the presence of head lice in the school, Coltin said she decided to replace those vests with sashes that tie around the waist.
“It will be one less thing for parents to worry about that way,” she said.
aguilmet@newstote.com
