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Millions of children will soon be heading back to the classroom. Although the return of school may elicit smiles from parents who have spent the entire summer trying to keep kids busy and out of trouble, when kids start bringing home notices of head lice outbreaks, those wide grins may fade.

Although head lice can strike just about anyone anywhere, it seems to proliferate in close quarters, like those of a typical classroom. Children who keep backpacks and belongings beside other students’ items may unwittingly pick up lice and bring them home, where they can infect the child and other members of the family.

Head Lice Facts

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says lice are parasitic insects that can be found on people’s heads and bodies. Lice feed on human blood. There are three types of lice that live on humans: head louse, body louse and pubic “crab” louse. Only the body louse is known to spread disease.

Lice are wingless parasites that can only crawl to their host for feeding. They cannot jump or fly like fleas. By and large, lice are relatively harmless creatures, though they can be a nuisance. Lice bites are known to cause irritation and inflammation on the scalp. Persistent scratching may lead to infection. Lice do not signal that a person has bad hygiene, and a child who contracts lice should not be embarrassed. Lice are a common problem among students.

Lice are small and grayish-white in appearance, and they are usually no larger than a sesame seed. They can move fast, so usually lice infestation is identified by spotting the lice eggs, which are called nits. These look like tiny, yellow or tan dots before they hatch. Lice lay nits on the hair shaft close to the scalp. This is the ideal temperature for keeping the eggs warm until they hatch. Many lice nymphs will feed on blood every day to grow into adult lice. However, a louse can survive up to two days off of the scalp. That means a person can “catch” lice from a hat or a piece of clothing if a louse climbed into the material.

How to Get Rid of Lice

Treating head lice means ridding the head of all nits and adult lice. A special comb is used to capture the tiny eggs. This can be a painstaking process, particularly for children with long hair. Topical insecticides in lotion and shampoo are used to kill the lice. However, these products may not penetrate the nits, so the topical solution may need to be applied several days later to kill any emerging lice.

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The best way to combat lice is to emphasize prevention. Children should not share combs, brushes, scarves, hats, or other clothing. They also should avoid close physical contact with someone who has lice.

Should a child get lice, he or she should stay home from school and the school nurse should be notified. Wash all objects that the child has used and launder all clothes, towels, linens, and other items in hot water to kill any lice. Vacuum the home frequently to remove lice or fallen hairs with attached nits from upholstered furniture and rugs.

Back to school season reintroduces kids and their parents to lice. Parents and their kids can take certain preventive measures to greatly reduce youngsters’ risks of coming down with lice.

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The thought of a child drowning is scary, but the possibility that a child can drown hours — possibly even days — after leaving the pool is simply terrifying.

Parents have become increasingly aware of secondary or “dry” drowning as troubling news of such instances have filled social media feeds and headlines in the past few summers.

Secondary drowning, also known as dry drowning or delayed drowning, is post-immersion respiratory syndrome. It occurs when water or another fluid has entered the lungs but has not caused enough initial trauma to result in fatal drowning. The water that has gotten inside the lungs may cause damage to the inside surface of the organ, collapse alveoli and cause a hardening of the lungs that reduces the ability to exchange air. The body may also retaliate against the foreign water by drawing more fluid into the lungs. Over time, the lungs will suffocate themselves, which is why dry drowning can occur hours after exiting the water.

The following are potential signs of secondary drowning:

• Persistent cough. Anyone who has swallowed water will cough and sputter as the body attempts to naturally expel the water. But persistent coughing that lasts long after the water has been breathed in may be indicative of water aspiration in the lungs.
• Confusion. Difficulty understanding verbal instructions or not being able to form words or thoughts may be a symptom of dry drowning.
• Pain. Chest pain is a strong indicator of water aspiration.
• Trouble breathing. Difficulty breathing long after a person has been swimming may indicate secondary drowning.
• Lethargy. Extreme tiredness or a sudden lack of energy may be indicative of a problem.

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Children tend to be more prone to dry drowning than adults. Parents must keep careful watch over any child who has experienced a near-drowning incident or who may have inhaled fluid while in the water. Furthermore, the children who are most at risk for dry drowning are those with known breathing or lung problems, including underdeveloped lungs or asthma.

It’s important to monitor for the symptoms of dry drowning anytime a person swallows water. According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, a person would only have to inhale four ounces of water to drown and even less to injure his lungs enough to become a victim of secondary drowning.

WebMD states that dry drowning can occur up to 24 hours after inhaling water, but recent reports of a 4-year-old boy in Texas who died several days after going swimming indicate that dry drowning could take even longer than previously thought. To be safe, keep a close eye on anyone who may have inhaled water for several days.

Dry drowning can not be be treated at home. If you notice any symptoms of dry drowning, go to the hospital immediately. Emergency room physicians can remove residual water from the lungs and administer life-saving oxygen.

While it is important to be mindful of the symptoms, there’s no need to panic. According to WebMD, dry drowning accounts for only 1-2 percent of all drownings. Water safety should be your main concern. Prevention of any kind of drowning — dry and otherwise — is key.

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