Alton High School

All students entering 12th grade will be required to show proof of having received at least one dose of the MCV4 (meningococcal) vaccine on or after their 16th birthday. If needed, documentation of the vaccination can be faxed to the school nurse at 462-3826.

 

Taking care of this health requirement now will avoid the last minute rush after school begins in the Fall. See below for list of providers.

Students without proof of the vaccination will be subject to exclusion on October 1. Any questions please call the nurse's office @ 474-1819 or 474-1824. The nurse is not at school during the summer.

 

 

The head louse is a parasitic insect found on the head. They feed on human blood several times a day and live close to the human scalp. Head lice are not known to spread disease.

 

Head lice move by crawling: they cannot hop or fly. They are spread by direct contact with the hair of an infested person. It is uncommon for head lice to be spread by contact with clothing or other personal items of an infested person. They have difficulty attaching to smooth or slippery surfaces like plastic, metal,leather, etc. Personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice.

 

Head lice have three forms: the egg(also called a nit), the nymph and the adult.   

 

Egg/Nit; Nits are lice eggs laid at the base of the hair shaft near the scalp. They are firmly attached to the shaft, are about the size of a knot of thread, and are hard to see. Nits are often confused with dandruff, scabs or hair spray droplets. They usually take about 8-9 days to hatch. Eggs that are likely to hatch are usually no more than 1/4" from the base of the hair shaft. Nits located further than 1/4" from the base of the hair shaft may have already hatched, be non-viable nits, or empty nits or casings. Finding nits within 1/4" of the scalp strongly suggests, but does not confirm, that a person is infested. 

 

Nymph: A nymph is an immature louse hatched from the nit. It must feed on blood to live. Nymphs mature into adults about 9-12 days after hatching.

 

Adult: An adult louse is about the size of a sesame seed and has six legs. It must feed on blood The adult louse can live about 30 days on a person's head, and dies 1-2 days off the head. A female louse lays about six eggs a day. 

 

Head lice are found behind the ears and at the neckline at the back of the head. They adhere tightly to the hair shaft with hook-like claws. Head lice are cemented to the hair shaft, are difficult to remove, and usually must be combed/pulled off the end of the hair shaft.

 

As you may know, Lewis and Clark Dental Clinic is located on the LCCC Campus. 

Please consider taking advantage of the valuable resource for your family's dental hygiene needs.