LICE Outbreak! Should I Close?

[SunflowerMama]

Ok so I have 5 confirmed cases of lice in my group and my own 2 kids have it too. YUCK! I only have 9 enrolled kids so should I consider closing for at least a day to let things air out a bit? I've treated my own 2, other families are treating their kids and I'm cleaning bedding and cleaning like crazy but don't know if shutting down for a day to let any remaining lice buggies die would be a good idea.

Any thoughts??

PS I'm only open Monday, Tuesday and a half day Wednesday this week.

[Denali]

I'd close in the interest of it not spreading...

Just delt with Lice myself. I excluded for seven days minimum (long enough for treatment and picking) and I required a doctors note saying kids were lice and nit free. I then checked myself when the kids returned. I checked every child everyday for 3 weeks after I was told that we had been exposed and it never spread past the 2 kids (siblings) that brought it, though they didn't have a bad case to begin with. I was lucky.

I was also prepared to loose families because of my long exclusion. But I didn't want to deal with lice.

[Ariana]

I have a nit free policy so if all the kids are infected no one would be allowed back until they were nit free. It might mean being shut down for a few days. I had one child out for two weeks because mom was so slack with picking the nits thinking the shampoo would do the trick. Only nit picking works to get rid of lice!!

[e.j.]

You poor thing! Personally, I'd close to do a thorough cleaning and to prevent the rest of the kids from getting it.

[TheMisplacedMidwestMom]

...Only nit picking works...

(light bulb!) And now I know where that phrase comes from! Had never thought about it before. ::

[LovetheSun]

There are some professional lice fairies in our area, who comb the child hair for about an hour to remove all eggs, nits and lice. And they also gives a "Lice Free certificate" which means the child can return to school.
But you must ask for the parents to get check as well since they might have it too.

Also helpful we asked all the parents to bring the children to school wearing beanies to avoid spread and to have long hair braided/tight up.

SO much stress and work for you, hopefully everything will go back to normal soon!

[Unregistered]

Make sure you remind parents to clean the carseats too.

[Josiegirl]

Make sure you remind parents to clean the carseats too.

UGH and backpacks, bag up stuffed animals if you can't wash them....oh how I remember when my now 26 yo dd got them in 2nd grade. I even bagged up headphones.
And YES, I completely agree with only thorough nit-picking will get rid of them. I tried every single effin trick under the sun and it still took 6 weeks. Even with picking nits out every single night. If there is 1 nit left behind.......

[Josiegirl]

To answer your question, I would close for a day and retreat everything that you can. But don't expect, with that many kids, it'll be gone quite so easily.

[Ariana]

(light bulb!) And now I know where that phrase comes from! Had never thought about it before. ::

Haha! Yup

[Unregistered]

I'd probably close. My state doesn't even recommend sending home a child with lice. They say not to exclude. They no longer check them or send them home in schools. I have and no nit policy regardless what the state suggest.

[daycarediva]

Yep, no lice, no nits.

Don't forget to wash all bedding and furniture.

For a preventative, we use tea tree oil in our shampoo and have never had lice!

[e.j.]

I'd probably close. My state doesn't even recommend sending home a child with lice. They say not to exclude. They no longer check them or send them home in schools. I have and no nit policy regardless what the state suggest.

This time of year and again in the spring, the schools around here always seem to have big lice infestations. It must be because they're no longer checking and sending kids home. I get that it can take a while to get every nit so a kid could miss a lot of school but it seems as though it would be so much easier to catch the problem when only a couple of kids had lice than wait until the entire school is infested. It makes me so glad my kids are older and out of school now!

To answer your question, I would close for a day and retreat everything that you can. But don't expect, with that many kids, it'll be gone quite so easily.

I would also personally check every child before you allow them back into your home. Two of my dc kids (sisters) had lice a few years ago. I insisted on checking their hair in my breezeway before allowing dcd to leave. Each time they returned thinking they were all set, I found either eggs or live bugs and send them right back home. It took at least 6 weeks, if not longer, for them to be finally rid of the lice. I know dcd was trying hard to get rid of them and I believed him when he said he checked and didn't see any but they can be hard to spot sometimes. I felt bad but had gone through it with my dd when she was in 3rd grade. I definitely didn't want lice in my home again!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I had this occur about 2 years ago. I required proof of treatment for their home AND their child. I also did doorway checks with a blue light to help me to see the nits and lice. I also excluded for a full 24 hours every time I sent home in order for them to get everything in order.

If I go through it again, I'm telling all little girl's parents to use hairspray/gel in their hair and to braid it up. If your children are bringing jackets, since it's starting to get chilly, make sure they're going into a plastic grocery bag upon arrival so any lice/nits on them aren't getting onto others belongings.

[Ariana]

Yep, no lice, no nits.

Don't forget to wash all bedding and furniture.

For a preventative, we use tea tree oil in our shampoo and have never had lice!

We use tea tree too! I have the shampoo and the drops. Nomlice so far **knock on wood**