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Colds, Flu & Head Lice

Published October 13, 2011

Cold and Flu season is almost here.  Below are some tips and information to help keep you and your child healthy.  

  • Stay home when sick: Students and staff with flu-like illness should stay home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines. They should stay home even if they are using antiviral drugs.
  • Separate ill students and staff: Students and staff who appear to have flu-like illness should be sent to a room separate from others until they can be sent home.
  • Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette: Students and staff are encouraged to wash hands frequently with soap and water when possible, and cover noses and mouths with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or a shirt sleeve or elbow if no tissue is available).
  • Routine cleaning: School staff should routinely clean areas that students and staff touch often with the cleaners they typically use. Special cleaning with bleach and other non-detergent-based cleaners is not necessary.
  • Early treatment of high-risk students and staff: People at high risk for influenza complications who become ill with influenza-like illness should speak with their health care provider as soon as possible. Early treatment with antiviral medications is very important for people at high risk because it can prevent hospitalizations and deaths. People at high risk include those who are pregnant, have asthma or diabetes, have compromised immune systems, or have neuromuscular diseases.

For more health services information, visit the WCS Health Services WEBSITE.

Protocol for Communicable Disease

Williamson County Schools follows the Department of Health's communicable disease protocols when they are informed of communicable illness that might threaten the health of the public, especially in a school setting.  The Department of Health is informed of all cases of communicable disease by the report of a licensed healthcare provider and then implements their own procedure in determining the origin and possibility of a known infectious illness leading to a wide-spread communicable disease outbreak.  There are very specific protocols that must be followed when a communicable disease outbreak occurs.  Our school district is not allowed to give out any health information, however, that would ever involve personally identifiable information as to a specific student or staff member in our school district, unless we were specifically required to do so by the Department of Health.

Head Lice

Head lice can happen to anyone.  It is not a sign of having poor health habits or being dirty.  The most important fact to remember is that the problem should be quickly treated because delays will only help spread the head lice throughout your family and community. 

Signs of head lice include head scratching and intense itching of the scalp and neck. Their presence can be confirmed by a close inspection of the hair and scalp under a good light, especially in the nape of the neck and behind the ears.  Look for tiny, grayish, crawling forms and/or white specks in the hair, whitish eggs that can be mistaken for dandruff.  Dandruff is removed easily from the hair or scalp; however, nits (eggs) are glued to the hair shaft and are very difficult to remove.

If your child has head lice, there are several non-prescription and prescription treatments available to eliminate lice and their eggs.  They can be purchased at your local pharmacy or call your physician for his/her recommendation.   Read and follow the instructions carefully.  A second treatment is often recommended 10 days later.  A fine-toothed comb is often needed to remove dead nits.  Please spend time with your child combing all of the nits (eggs) out of his/her hair.  Put on clean clothing after treatment.  Inspect all other family members for head lice and recheck periodically over the next two weeks.

If you find head lice, you must clean all articles that might have lice or nits.  Backpacks, clothes, towels and bed linens should be washed in hot water and detergent or dry-cleaned.  Stuffed animals or items that cannot be washed or dry-cleaned should be sealed in a plastic bag for at least ten days to two weeks.  Disinfect combs, brushes and similar items by washing with the special shampoo.  Wash all book bags and back packs or discard them.  Continue to wash your child’s bed linens regularly and vacuum all upholstered furniture and carpet.  Throw vacuum bags away after each use.

Below are some preventative measures you can share with your children. Other than the above washing, drying and treatment, encourage your children to help in the following ways:

  • Do not share brushes, combs, hair accessories, hats, scarves, etc.
  • Keep clothing items not used in their back packs when not using.
  • Do not share helmets, head sets, other items that may be touching the head.  Utilize lice spray disinfectant on all of these types of equipment if sharing and wipe clean.
  • Check your children when they come home from school and also after they participate in after school activities, or sleepovers.
  • During increased cases of head lice, you can avoid sleepovers and hair salon parties to cut down on the risk of spreading head lice.
  • There are preventative products such as Tea Tree shampoo, gels, etc. that you can put on your child’s hair to help repel lice.
  • Have your child wear their hair up if long and out of their face.
  • Minimize close head to head contact.

For additional information and help, please visit www.cdc.gov/lice/head or visit the district website at http://www.wcs.edu/studentsupportsvc/lice.htm.