AAP News Vol. 13 No. 5 May 1997, p. 32
© 1997 American Academy of Pediatrics
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Don't mix metaphors

Janis Hootman RN, Ph.D., CSN1

1 Gladstone, OR

I respect Dr. Penso's frustration with the barriers within systems, which seem to be allowed to persist for illogical rationale (AAP News, March 1997). Yet, I suggest that Dr. Penso might become better acquainted with the challenges that head lice infestations present to school systems before further use of this metaphor.

It is public health regulation which dictates to schools that children with infestations must be excluded until symptom-free. There is no other health condition which seems to create greater chaos in the school system than does head lice. If we could capture the power this small critter has, we would have no bureaucratic problems. Repeatedly, parents become volatile to the extreme of making death threats to school nurses and school staff over this issue. Innumerable hours are spent screening, educating, and providing family support to manage statistically few head lice infestations in the general school population.