Mar 12, 2008 5:49 pm US/Central
Head Lice Outbreak At Eagan Schools, 150 Affected
EAGAN, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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The lice are hard to spot because they are about the size of a sesame seed.
AP
About 150 students in the Eagan School District have been sent home because of lice over the past few weeks. The outbreak has also hit faculty and forced nurses to check students heads as they return to school.
Eagan High School nurse Kathleen Hook has been checking heads all week.
"There is no magic bullet just sort of diligence and checking everyday," she said.
Junior Ryan Johnson doesn't have lice he agreed to be a model as Hook showed the labor intensive way to check.
"The place where you typically will find lice on young children happens to be on the back of the neck and over the ears," she said.
The lice are hard to spot because they are about the size of a sesame seed.
Earlier this week 40 students at Eagan High School and more than 100 at nearby Pinewood Elementary, as well as 20 teachers came down with lice. At Pinewood, that is one out of every eight students.
At Pinewood the precautions are extensive. The school upholstery is covered in plastic and children's coats are put in plastic bags as soon as they get to school.
On Wednesday it was getting better with only a half dozen kids out from Pinewood, and about the same number for the high school of 2,300 students.
"This just happens because we live in a community and we share things and that's how this is passed," said Hook.
She is especially sympathetic because one of her own kids has had head lice and she says many parents are embarrassed and blame themselves. But she said its no ones fault.
People can get head lice by coming into contact with someone who has lice, or even sharing hats, clothing or bedding.
The standard treatment for head lice is an over-the-counter shampoo and removing the lice with a comb.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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