The dreaded Nits

Lisha

Hi

To cut a long story short a child in my sons junior infants class constantly has nits. This is an ongoing issue since play school,. They are bouncing of childs head. The mother seems completely oblivious refuses to acknowledge that her child needs treating.
Any advice from anyone?
Also school has a policy of just sending text to all parents in class to check head but this is not working
Can school approach child s parents directly and inform them?
Many thanks for reading

January

Yes the school can approach the parent and they should. Some schools will not let the child back until they have been treated properly.

Lisha

January wrote: »

Yes the school can approach the parent and they should. Some schools will not let the child back until they have been treated properly.

Thanks January . I been looking at HSE and ed sites online and I can't find this written any where.
Can you remember seeing it any where please?
School have told me they cannot approach parent directly
Parents assoc meeting should be in next month and I would like to be able to back up what I say .
After 18months off drama on play school it very upsetting it is still an ongoing issue

Silly that such an easy to solve matter is being ignored by the parents

January

Sorry I don't think there's anything written in stone but I've read on other parenting sites that some schools adopt the policy that if child is spotted with lice they are not allowed back until they are clear.

I noticed 3 or 4 days into this school year that one of the little girls in my daughters class was absolutely crawling with lice. I pulled the teacher aside and let her know. A note went out the next day and all parents got it because teacher stood at door handing them out as the children were collected. The child was treated and all was well. Have you spoken to the principal? What is their view on it?

Lisha

January wrote: »

Sorry I don't think there's anything written in stone but I've read on other parenting sites that some schools adopt the policy that if child is spotted with lice they are not allowed back until they are clear.

I noticed 3 or 4 days into this school year that one of the little girls in my daughters class was absolutely crawling with lice. I pulled the teacher aside and let her know. A note went out the next day and all parents got it because teacher stood at door handing them out as the children were collected. The child was treated and all was well. Have you spoken to the principal? What is their view on it?

Day 2 back to school a nit note came home
I rang school teacher and without naming names told her it would be an ongoing issue as one parent refuses to see a need to check her child's hair.
Teacher said they would not tell a patent directly, mother works very long hours and never is at school.
We have had 4 nit notes in total

Principal is my next step if parents associated meeting is far away

Older kids in school have said that you can see child's hair is full of lice. Child foes have very thick hair but still combing should help a lot if done very often

It's just sad. I understand parents are very busy both work long hours for prob only ok money but the poor child
Some parents tell their kids not to play with her now
I would prefer to see it solved for every ones sake

Daisy M

Someone close to me is a public health nurse and she is of the opinion that severe untreated cases of headlice is seen as a case of neglect. The reason for this is because the lice cause an irritating itch and if the child breaks the skin an infection could start and also be left untreated.

The school has a duty of care to the child and while it may be embarassing to contact the parents they should put that aside in the childs best interests.

Lisha

Daisy M wrote: »

Someone close to me is a public health nurse and she is of the opinion that severe untreated cases of headlice is seen as a case of neglect. The reason for this is because the lice cause an irritating itch and if the child breaks the skin an infection could start and also be left untreated.

The school has a duty of care to the child and while it may be embarassing to contact the parents they should put that aside in the childs best interests.

I won't disagree with that phn s opinion Daisy M.
I suppose what I really need to know is it officially recommended for school to directly talk to parent,
School are of the opinion that they should not directly critise the child's parents.
If I could find it recommended on HSE or dept of ed to intervene school might be a bit more proactive.
Thanks for your help

I wonder would the primary ed forum be more appropriate . Mods please move this if you think it necessary

January

From Parenting

Rochester

It is dreadful to have to keep re treating your own child's hair because of the neglect of other parents. The chemicals in some treatments are severe and can cause dermatitis as happened in this house.

All this tiptoeing around is ridiculous, the parent should just be told to get it cleared or the child doesn't come to school, that should concentrate the mind especially if the mother has organise cover in work.

Lady Chatterton

Lisha, we had the same issue in my six year old's class and I bought a little bottle of lavender oil. I put a few drops of it in water and I spray her hair every morning before she goes to school.

The lavender oil acts as a repellent, so far so good she hasn't had any issues. You could also use tea tree oil but personally I find it a bit is too strong.

muckisluck

It is a public health issue and the school can do no more than notify parents of issue. They have neither the right nor the responsibility to do any more. Many schools will ask the Public Health Nurses to speak directly to families as it falls into their remit. However most schools find it impossible to access such a person. If you feel there is serious neglect the appropriate thing to do is to report it to social services. The school is not the place to which you report neglect.

Daisy M

muckisluck wrote: »

It is a public health issue and the school can do no more than notify parents of issue. They have neither the right nor the responsibility to do any more. Many schools will ask the Public Health Nurses to speak directly to families as it falls into their remit. However most schools find it impossible to access such a person. If you feel there is serious neglect the appropriate thing to do is to report it to social services. The school is not the place to which you report neglect.

No the school is not the place you report neglect to but if they are made aware of neglect or notice it themselves they have a duty to act.

muckisluck

Daisy M wrote: »

No the school is not the place you report neglect to but if they are made aware of neglect or notice it themselves they have a duty to act.

The school does not have a duty to act when it is reported by a member of the public. The school acts on disclosures to members of staff or reports of staff who notice neglect. If it is another parent who wants to complain they need to go to social services directly. The school has no remit to act as a go between the public and social services.

Lisha

Thanks all for the replies.
I suppose what I really wanted to know if any one knew of a legal or dept of education law/recommdation that made it compulsory for the school to directly tell the parents your child in particular has nits/lice.
This is because the general letters are not working. School has told me they are not allowed (or won't) directly inform parents

Unless the mother is compelled to do something about it she won't .
Tbf I really would not describe the child as neglected and she is defiantly not abused.
I know ongoing nit issue is possibly a sign of neglect in itself but there is no malice behind it. Simply put she is A much loved child to busy parents .

So my plan of action is to use nitty gritty as a preventer as well as tea tree shampoo. Thie tea tree shampoo was drying out my daughters hair so I am now using conditioner for her.

Also at the PTA ASsoc meeting I am going to propose parents be told directly if their child is carrying passengers, in addition to the general note to all in the class room .

My third part of the plan is to really hope my house stays nit free , and if it does not there is a bottle of stuff and combs in the press

Mrs D007, lavender is a great tip but might get my boy a bit of a slagging . I ll remember it for herself in time

muckisluck

You could suggest to your Parents Association that the Public Health Nurse be invited in to give a talk to parents on the issue of child health. It could be part of this talk and maybe the suggestion could be made that the school contact the Public Health Nurse to deal directly with a particular family. To be honest though it really is beyond the remit of the school staff.

Lady Chatterton

Lisha wrote: »

Mrs D007, lavender is a great tip but might get my boy a bit of a slagging . I ll remember it for herself in time

Lisha, it is only a few drops in a bottle of water and you spray it on, because it is diluted down you wouldn't notice the smell.

A few of the other parents have been using it too and it is working very well as a repellent.

Equality

Lisha wrote: »

Unless the mother is compelled to do something about it she won't .
Tbf I really would not describe the child as neglected and she is defiantly not abused.
I know ongoing nit issue is possibly a sign of neglect in itself but there is no malice behind it. Simply put she is A much loved child to busy parents .

There is no law requiring the school to tell the parents directly. There is also no law preventing this, it is a matter for the school. They can do either, depending on how they feel about it.

I know of one principal who felt that the problem was poverty,so the principal bought the treatment from the chemist and sent it home with a note. It came back in with a note saying that the parents refused to use these chemicals on their child. They felt the nits were safer than the chemicals.

RainyDay

Lisha wrote: »

Also at the PTA ASsoc meeting I am going to propose parents be told directly if their child is carrying passengers, in addition to the general note to all in the class room .

IF your Parents Association has any sense, they will stay well clear of any issue relating to an individual child like this. It's not the role of the Parents Association to run the school.