A sort-of rite of childhood
Lice are tiny bugs - the size of a sesame seed - that live in human hair and feed off human blood. No question, they're gross - but they're not dangerous. Unlike other vampire-like insects, such as mosquitoes and body lice, they do not transmit disease.
An ancient problem
Lice have been around for thousands of years. They've even been found on Egyptian mummies. But researchers say they remain relatively rare. Dandruff and other debris are often mistaken for nits.
Creepy crawlies
Health experts say lice are caught from close head-to-head contact, or by sharing items such as hats or pillows. Eggs take a week to 10 days to hatch, so it takes time to make sure all lice have been eliminated. But lice can't jump or fly, they crawl, and they can only live without a human host for a day, so elaborate measures to eradicate an entire houseful may be overkill.
School strategies
When students are found with lice, most schools send them home to get an insecticide shampoo treatment. Some districts, like Kildeer Countryside Elementary District 93, maintain a traditional "no-nits" policy, meaning children are banned from school while they have any eggs in their hair. Others, like Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 and Naperville Unit District 203, allow children back if they have been treated and if there are no new eggs - or "nits" - on the scalp, even if some old dead eggs are down on the hair shaft. Often, only parents of children with close contact are notified, unless it spreads - then a class might be notified.
Range of reactions
Repulsed and frustrated with recurring outbreaks, some parents prefer the no-nit zero tolerance policy. Parents find it a very emotional issue, said Carla Cumblad, assistant superintendent in Arlington Heights Elementary School District 25. Using chemical treatments, washing bedding and towels, and nitpicking is a lot of work. But because lice cause no significant health problem, public health agencies are much less aggressive about addressing the subject. Harvard warns against parental "hysteria," and the American Academy of Pediatrics and Centers for Disease Control recommend that no child miss any school due to lice.
That's lousy
Head lice infestations are a recurring but relatively minor problem, with suburban schools often facing a small number cases at any given time. Palatine Township Elementary District 15, for instance, reported 27 cases spread across 12,500 students. Lake Zurich Community Unit District 95 counted only one case in nine years. No schools contacted by the Daily Herald reported a widespread outbreak this year, but one nurse said they never really go away.
Nitpicking
Live lice and viable eggs can be treated with over-the-counter insecticide shampoos like permethrin (in Nix) and pyrethrins (in RID). They won't kill all the eggs, so repeat the treatment in 10 days. If that doesn't kill the lice, they may be resistant, so prescription insecticides like Malathion (in Ovide) may be necessary. Follow up by nitpicking with a comb and magnifying glass to remove remaining eggs, especially behind the ears and at the nape of the neck. Wash and use a hot dryer on bedding and towels, and any items that can't be washed can be kept in Ziploc bags for a few days. The Centers for Disease Control reports that lice deprived of human blood die "within a day or so."
Alternative treatments
Some "super lice" have become resistant to pesticides, and stronger chemicals like Lindane -banned for use on lice in California - can be toxic to the nervous system. As alternatives, some parents swear by using olive oil, essential oils, Vaseline or mayonnaise to suffocate the lice, while wearing a shower cap to keep the treatment on the head. Others advocate using saline solutions like Licefreee! Such treatments haven't been proven or disproved by research. Even if they work on lice, like the insecticides, they may allow eggs to live on, so nitpicking may always be necessary.
Lice tool kit
Essentials to have on hand if your child is infected:
• magnifying glass
• plastic fine-tooth comb for detangling hair
• metal nit comb for removing eggs
• plastic garbage or storage bags to quarantine stuffed toys, pillows and other items that can't be washed
• shower caps
More on lice
U.S. Centers for Disease Control: cdc.gov/lice/head/treatment.html
Harvard School of Public Health: hsph.harvard.edu/headlice.html
National Organization of School Nurses: nasn.org
Sources: U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Harvard School of Public Health, local schools. • Daily Herald staff writers contributed to this story.