According to the Atlantic County Health Department Communicable Disease Department, the National School Nurse Association, and the President of the NJ School Nurse Association, mass screenings for head lice are no longer recommended. Contrary to the school superintendent's mis-statements last night, the county Health Department and NJ School Nurse Association also confirmed that parents absolutely are allowed to refuse to subject their children to the school nurse's procedures. Center for Disease Control consumer information also documents that in order to prevent the spread of head lice, combs should not be shared. The county Health Department also stated that such a procedure at school is improperly demonstrating and teaching children to share combs. Disposable wooden sticks are used to examine those who are symptomatic.
Research-based protocol regarding lice procedure is available from Judith Mullane, President of the NJ State School Nurse Association. The protocol is based on 3 sources: Center for Disease Control, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Association of School nurses. She can be contacted at her daytime work number: 201-389-5023. The author of this post is urging school board members to contact her. There is a contact at the Atlantic County Department of Health Communicable Disease Department. She accepts complaints and concerns. Kate Adams 645-7700 ext. 4236
Existence of self-designed procedures does not deem them as being appropriate. Any family whose child was subject to the school nurse repeatedly using the same comb with all students can file a written complaint to the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs - NJ Board of Nursing www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/medical/nursing.htm Families can also call Kate Adams at the county Health Department.
Signed.....Advocate for Children in our Government-Run Schools
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
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3 comments:
The nurse is using the same comb for all the kids??? All my kids have their own combs and are not allowed to use each other's in my own home. I see why you're upset.
Do they still do lice checks on all the students? Are you saying the children are taught to share combs at the school? This sounds a bit preposterous, but I am confused by the posting and hope the poster can answer some of my questions.
When I was a child, we had yearly lice check ups. The nurse came to the classroom and lifted up our hair and looked along your scalp line underneath. You always knew who had lice because then the nurse would come back a call a student out, and yes, it was always the same one, and then she wouldn't come to school for a few days.
I went to Catholic grammer school and we never had the nurse check our heads. If anyone had lice and the nun caught them scratching,the book on top of their head probably killed them all.
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