Communicable Diseases: In addition to the common cold, some of the most common communicable diseases we see in schools are conjunctivitis, strep throat, and mono.  One main way to prevent infection is hand washing. Hand washing signs have been placed in the bathrooms and we continue to emphasize the importance of good hand washing. To help ensure further protection, instant hand sanitizing gel will be available for use in school. Another way students can help prevent infectious diseases (especially mono and strep) is by NOT sharing eating/drinking utensils, lip gloss and other makeup, etc. with anyone. If students are suspected of having a communicable/infectious disease, they may be sent home for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment.

Head Lice: If you suspect lice, please check your child and report any cases or suspected cases to your student’s health room as soon as possible. Students with live lice or who show evidence of nits (lice eggs) will be sent home for treatment and removal of nits.  If you or your child exhibit signs of an infestation, it is important to talk to your doctor about treatment options.  

Some important facts regarding head lice:  Anyone may become infested with head lice, regardless of age, sex, race or standards of personal hygiene.  Head lice spread through direct head to head contact with an infested person. Since nits (louse eggs) are laid by the adult lice, the chances of nits being spread from person to person are minimal. Head lice move by crawling.  They cannot jump or fly.  Head lice cannot survive for very long off the head.  Head lice are not dangerous and do not transmit disease.  In the United States, infestation with head lice is most common among preschool and elementary school age children and their household members and caretakers.  Reliable data on how many people get head lice each year in the United States are not available; however, an estimated 6 million to 12 million infestations occur each year in the United States among children 3 to 11 years of age.  Some studies suggest that girls get head lice more often then boys probably due to more frequent head to head contact.  

Excellent websites with information and resources include www.dpd.cdc.gov (click here), Waukesha County Health Department, https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/aap-updates-treatments-for-head-lice.aspx.

Please note: the Pewaukee School District Policy follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation, the Waukesha County Health Department as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation.  These organizations advocate that "no-nit" policies be discontinued for the following reasons:  Many nits are more than 1/4 inch from the scalp.  Such nits are usually not viable and very unlikely to hatch to become crawling lice, or may in fact be empty shells, also known as casings.  Nits are cemented to the hair shafts and are very unlikely to be transferred to other people.  The burden of unnecessary absenteeism to the students, families and communities far outweighs the risks associated with head lice, and misdiagnosis of nits is very common during nit checks conducted by nonmedical personnel.  If no nymphs or adults are seen, and the only nits found are more than 1/4 inch from the scalp, then the infestation is probably old and no longer active and does not need to be treated.