Frequently Asked Questions and Resources
Head lice (PDF) are a common issue at school. These tiny, flat insects live and breed on the head and pass easily from one person to another, usually through head-to-head contact. This is part of the reason why they travel so easily between children at school, who are more likely to have close contact at their desks working on a project, playing in the school yard or sharing headphones and hats.
Although head lice are a nuisance, they do not carry disease and therefore are not considered a health hazard. However, bites can result in itchy red sores that may become infected, so treatment for head lice is required. Getting head lice has nothing to do with hygiene – washing your child’s hair every day for example would not prevent lice from moving in. Once a Week, Take a Peek! The Thunder Bay District Health Unit encourages all parents to check their children's hair regularly for lice as a normal part of their family's personal hygiene routine.
Once a Week, Take a Peek!
(click to view YouTube video or presentation)
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit encourages all parents to check their children's hair regularly for lice as a normal part of their family's personal hygiene routine.
- CHECK – your child's hair once a week.
- TREAT – if you find live lice.
- REMOVE – any live lice or nits.
- RETREAT – after 7-10 days. Remove any nits again.
- COMPLETE – a lice check within 2-3 days of final treatment and weekly after that.
Here’s what to look for:
Nits – These are the eggs: small, greyish-white, tan or yellow ovals about the size of a grain of sand. They usually stick to the hair near the scalp. (Note: dandruff is sometimes mistaken for nits.)
Nymphs – Baby lice that are greyish-tan; they look like adult lice but are much smaller.
Adults – Tan or brown in colour, about the size of a sesame seed.
Nits, nymphs, and adults can all be difficult to spot. Using a bright light and a magnifying glass can help. Read more on the Once A Week, Take a Peek (PDF) pamphlet.
How to Check for Head Lice
How to Treat Head Lice
For Further Information
Call Telehealth Ontario: 1-866-797-0000
EXTERNAL LINKS
With the growing awareness of the effect of concussions on children and youth (whose brains are still developing), the Ontario Ministry of Education now requires all school boards to develop a concussion plan. The Healthy Schools Team is working with local and district schools to promote safety and provide information about concussions to administrators, teachers, parents and students.
More information about this plan can be found in the Ministry’s School Board Policies on Concussion (PDF)
More information about concussions in general can be found on the Ministry’s website.
Learn more about TBDHU resources for teachers regarding allergies.
- This website has been developed to assist school boards, principals, teachers, staff and others who play an important role in helping to create safer environments for pupils with life-threatening allergies.
Learn more about TBDHU's Sexual Health Education resources for schools.
For general information about sexual health (non-school related) visit our Sexual Health page.
TBDHU Mental Health Resources for Teachers
- Positive Mental Health Toolkit - Pan Canadian Joint Consortium for School Health
- Student Mental Health Action Kit - School Mental Health Ontario
- Promoting Mental Health: Finding a Shared Language video from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Visit TBDHU's Healthy Eating Page.
Additional information on Healthy Eating:
- Teach Food First: An Educator’s Toolkit for Exploring Canada’s Food Guide
- Hands on Food: A Food Literacy approach to teaching about food, science, math and more!
- Traditional Harvesting Resource: Video and Interactive Game
- Ontario Physical Health and Education Association
- Food for Thought - Improving Food Literacy (Alimenter la réflexion pour des choix plus sains)
- Food Literacy Conversation Starters: Videos and Discussion Guides (Gr. 1-3 and Gr. 4-6) (Vidéos et guides de discussion pour lancer des conversations sur la littératie alimentaire)
- Lesson Plans (Plans de leçons)
- Teach Nutrition: Learning Together with Food
- Sustain Ontario: Food is Science (L’alimentation c’est de la Science)
- Food and Nutrition Literacy: Teaching Resources
- At My Best (À Mon Meilleur - une trousse d’outils gratuite axée sur les programmes-cadres)
- Nurturing Healthy Eaters in Elementary Schools and Secondary Schools
Download the Health Relationships and Consent PDF.
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? TBDHU welcomes all questions through the Contact Page.
School Immunizations
Learn more about School Immunizations.
Helpful Resources