Pediculosis, or ‘head lice’ are small, wingless insects that live, breed and feed on the human scalp. They cannot transmit any infectious diseases. Direct contact is required for transmission person to person, where head lice crawl head-to-head. Due to the nature of school rooms and children’s contact with each other head lice can be common in a school environment.

What can you do?

• Check your child’s hair regularly
• If lice or eggs are found treat your child’s hair. Please visit Head lice (nits) | Better Health Channel for advice on finding, treating and preventing head lice.
• alert Bager Creek PS if lice are found and when treatment commenced. Badger Creek PS is aware that head lice can be a sensitive issue and is committed to maintaining your confidentiality.
• alert parents or carers of your child’s friends so they too can detect and treat their children if necessary.

When can my child return to school?

Health regulations require that where a child has head lice, that child should not return to school until the day after appropriate treatment has started. Please note, this refers only to those children who have live head lice and does not refer to head lice eggs. More information about exclusion requirements can be found on School exclusion table for primary schools and children’s services | health.vic.gov.au