How do I know if my child has lice?
You can check your child at home. If you are unsure what to look for, read this brochure first. (english flyer/spanish flyer)
You can have the nurse or Cathy Garagozzoin the school office check your child. If you ask them, they are willing to check your child at school.
You can have a professional lice specialist check your child.
- Love Bugs in Palo Alto will do a free lice check. If your child does not have lice, the check is free. If your child does have lice, you will need to pay them to remove the lice. Visit their website for more information.
- Lice Patrol will come to your home, check your children and help you get your home nit free for a fee. LicePatrol.org. 415-566-LICE (415-608-8336)
- Hair Fairies in San Francisco. Will check and treat your child at their salon in San Francisco for a fee. Visit their website for more information.
If my child has lice, how should I treat it?
See above resources (Love
Bugs, Lice Patrol, Hair Fairies)
Other resources via American Academy of pediatrics website.
Any helpful tips from
other parents?
Heat these in the dryer on high for at least 30 minutes:
- anything made of cloth in your home that your child's head might have touched (pillows, blankets, etc)
- backpacks
- sweater/jacket in backpack
- anything made of cloth in backpack
- pillows and blankets
If items above would
be ruined in the dryer, put in a garbage bag, tie it up tight, and leave
it in the garage for 3 days. Nits and lice cannot survive without human
contact after 3 days.
Vaccuum the child's bed
after you take all the linens off.
Vaccuum the child's room.
Spray diluted tea tree oil
on their hair before sending to school. Lice hate tea tree oil, so they
will not want to enter your child's head.
What is the District
Policy on Lice?
In order to return to
school, your child must be checked by the nurse or Cathy Garagozzo to be sure
that they are free of nits. If they are confirmed to be free of nits,
they will be allowed to return to school.
More Information on Lice
from the