Mary Walker School District
Health News
 

 
Head Lice Information and Treatment
Due to an increase in head lice, the office is conducting weekly head checks. If your child is sent home with head lice, a parent or guardian must bring them into the office for a head check before they can return to class. Any student who has been sent home with nits or lice is not allowed to ride the bus until they have been cleared through the office.

Head lice facts:

  • A female can lay 50-100 eggs in a month life cycle.
  • Eggs hatch every 7 days and lice can live off the body for up to two days.

Treating head lice:

  • Apply an OTC treatment (follow directions on medication)***Warning do not use cream rinse or combination shampoo/conditioner before using lice medicine. Do not rewash hair for 1-2 days after treatment. Please know that flea and tick shampoo for dogs does not remove nits or lice.
  • Remove nits with comb. All nits even though they are dead need to be removed. (Flea combs made for dogs and cats will also work)
  • Re-treat in 7-10 days. Continue to check hair every 2-3 days.

Treat the household:

  • To kill lice and nits, machine wash all clothing and bed linens that the infested person wore or used during the two days before treatment. Use the hot water cycle 130 degrees. Dry laundry using high heat for at least 20 min.
  • Dry clean clothing that can not be washed or store in a sealed bag for two weeks.
    Soak combs and brushes for one hour in rubbing alcohol, Lysol or wash with soap and hot water (130 F).
  • Vacuum the floor and furniture.

To Prevent Reinfestation:

  • Avoid head to head contact during play at school
  • Do not share clothing, like hats, scarves, or coats.
  • Do not share combs, brushes, or towels.
  • Do not lie on beds, couches, pillows, carpets, or stuffed animals that have recently been in contact with the infested person.

     

 
New 6th Grade Immunization Requirements

The Washington State Board of Health has adopted changes to the immunization requirements for students entering the sixth grade for the 2007-2008 school year that include both the new Tdap and Varicella vaccinations.

A new vaccine that can protect adolescents against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) was licensed in 2005. Beginning July 1, 2007, children attending 6th grade are required to show proof of Tdap vaccination if it has been five years since receiving a DTaP or Td vaccine and they are at least 11 years of age . Therefore, if the last shots your child received were before school entry, your child will need to receive this shot before the first day of 6th grade.

In addition, state law now requires all students to either have a Varicella (chicken pox) vaccine, have had the disease, or show evidence of immunity through serological testing before entering 6th grade.

Please be aware that your child may not be assigned to a sixth grade classroom until the new requirements are met. You may contact the Elementary School Office to obtain the required documentation form or click below to print a copy that can be submitted by mail (you must have the free Adobe Reader program to open this document).

Immunization Document

 


 
Meningococcal Vaccine

In February 2005, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended a new vaccine for adolescents to prevent meningococcal disease, an uncommon but serious infection.

Meningococcus is a bacterium, which lives on the lining of the nose and throat and is spread from one person to another by close personal contact.  Occasionally, the virus enters the bloodstream and causes sever disease.  The symptoms of bloodstream infection include fever, chills, rash, low blood pressure and dark purple spots on the arms and legs.  Symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, confusion and stiff neck.

Every year in the US approximately 2,500 people are infected with meningococcus and 300 die from the disease.  Also, about 400 people every year who survive infection have permanent disabilities, such as seizures, loss of limbs, kidney disease, deafness and mental retardation.

The highest incidence of meningococcal disease occurs in infants less than 1 year of age.  In children between 2 and 10 years of age, the incidence of infections is very low, but starting in adolescence the incidence of disease rises.  Although adolescents are less likely to be infected than infants, they are more likely to die when infected.

The new vaccine is recommended for all adolescents entering middle school (11-12 years old) and high school (15 years old).  It is also suggested that all college freshmen, especially students living in dormitories receive the meningococcal vaccine.

For more information, please visit vaccine.chop.edu.