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Head Lice In Schools More Acute This Year

By Kevin Keating KevinKe@spokesman.com

Several Bonner County schools are waging war against a tiny insect. The head louse.

Cases of head lice, parasites that feed on human scalps, turn up every year in classrooms. But the past few months the critter has been a particular nuisance at elementary schools in Sandpoint.

“Head lice are as common in schools as the common cold, but this year the problem is more acute,” said Washington Elementary School Principal Mark Berryhill. For two months the school has been plagued with lice outbreaks.

“Instead of hanging their coats on hooks, we had to have kids put clothing in plastic bags,” Berryhill said.

Health officials said putting coats, scarves and hats in bags keeps lice from spreading. The bugs can crawl onto articles of clothing hanging next to one another and eventually onto a person’s head.

That’s where the insect starts to bite and lay eggs, making the scalp itchy and irritated.

“Lice can spread fairly easily and quickly and it’s hard work to get rid of them,” said DeNene Banger, child health supervisor for the Panhandle Health District.

Anyone can get head lice, she said. They are not spread by cats or dogs and having them does not mean a person has poor hygiene habits.

“Lice have just always been around and are spread by sharing hats, combs and even by sitting in airline seats or padded movie house seats,” Banger said. “If you are unlucky enough to have sat in the same seat as someone with lice you might end up bringing them home with you.”

At school, students often have close contact with each other, sharing hats, headphones and piling coats together.

That kind of contact can turn one case of head lice into 10 fairly fast, Banger said. Farmin and Washington elementaries both experienced ongoing cases of the parasite.

More than 20 students have missed several days of school at Washington because of head lice problems. Berryhill said the school secretary and district nurse have gone so far as to put on rubber gloves to help pick or comb louse eggs from students’ hair.

“They don’t carry disease. They are a nuisance, not an emergency,” said Banger. “But some of the more hysterical calls we get are about head lice. It’s just very unpleasant.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: Human lice

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: GETTING RID OF THEM To get rid of the parasites a medicated shampoo most often is used. The shampoo can cost $9 for one treatment and sometimes includes a special fine-toothed lice comb. “What people don’t know is that shampoo treatments aren’t enough,” Banger said. “You have to wash and dry clothing and bedding and anything that might have come in contact with that person’s head.” Vacuuming and disinfecting fabrics that can’t be washed also must be done or the lice can reappear.

This sidebar appeared with the story: GETTING RID OF THEM To get rid of the parasites a medicated shampoo most often is used. The shampoo can cost $9 for one treatment and sometimes includes a special fine-toothed lice comb. “What people don’t know is that shampoo treatments aren’t enough,” Banger said. “You have to wash and dry clothing and bedding and anything that might have come in contact with that person’s head.” Vacuuming and disinfecting fabrics that can’t be washed also must be done or the lice can reappear.