Dr LIM - 1996-11-27
In the past, the government initiated an education program called `Nits, Not!', a campaign to promote awareness of head lice in Territory primary schools. Was the campaign successful and what is the current situation with head lice in schools?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is a very irritating problem indeed. It is one that I, and I am sure other members, receive regular representations about.
Mr Coulter: Hear, hear!
Ms Martin: Some of us regularly do our children's hair.
Members interjecting.
Mr Stone: You are wonderful.
Mr Palmer: No self-respecting louse would leap into your hair!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs Hickey: There is certainly one in yours.
Mr FINCH: It is a most important challenge in our schools and outside our schools. The dilemma for parents is that they may often be treating their own child's hair regularly, only to find that, when the child mixes with other children in a classroom where there is even minimum infestation, that results very soon in a new outbreak.
This is not a new problem. It existed even when my own children were at school. I guess the frustration for parents and the education and health professionals who are trying to deal with the dilemma lies with the fact that many parents will not treat their own children. Secondly, and even more annoyingly, they will not give permission for the school nurse to inspect their children's hair. I have had an example of at least one person who came in complaining about the proliferation of head lice or nits in their child's classroom resulting in the child acquiring nits, yet that person refused to have their own child inspected by the school nurse. There is a provision that, when a child is identified as having head lice, that child is
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given proper advice on the recommended treatment and the process to be carried out. Hopefully, the parents then deliver that treatment. Where it does not happen, and it repeatedly does not happen, the system is able to exclude that child from the school until such time as he or she is treated. While it might sound a little severe, that is the point that has been reached with this dilemma.
There is a collaborative approach between Territory Health Services and the Department of Education and we are in the middle of a campaign week this week. As the weather becomes more humid, the nits breed faster and more prolifically and we run a `Nits, Not!' campaign. An awareness campaign is running this week with advertisements on television. Notices have been sent out to parents through the newsletters. The message I really would like to deliver to all Territory parents is that they must get behind the program and cooperate with the school and the school nurse. Not only should they allow their children to be examined but, just as importantly, they should undertake the recommended treatment process at home themselves. This is a situation where, if you do not wipe out the lot, the problem will repeat itself with great frequency and great irritation.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is a very irritating problem indeed. It is one that I, and I am sure other members, receive regular representations about.
Mr Coulter: Hear, hear!
Ms Martin: Some of us regularly do our children's hair.
Members interjecting.
Mr Stone: You are wonderful.
Mr Palmer: No self-respecting louse would leap into your hair!
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs Hickey: There is certainly one in yours.
Mr FINCH: It is a most important challenge in our schools and outside our schools. The dilemma for parents is that they may often be treating their own child's hair regularly, only to find that, when the child mixes with other children in a classroom where there is even minimum infestation, that results very soon in a new outbreak.
This is not a new problem. It existed even when my own children were at school. I guess the frustration for parents and the education and health professionals who are trying to deal with the dilemma lies with the fact that many parents will not treat their own children. Secondly, and even more annoyingly, they will not give permission for the school nurse to inspect their children's hair. I have had an example of at least one person who came in complaining about the proliferation of head lice or nits in their child's classroom resulting in the child acquiring nits, yet that person refused to have their own child inspected by the school nurse. There is a provision that, when a child is identified as having head lice, that child is
Page 1834
given proper advice on the recommended treatment and the process to be carried out. Hopefully, the parents then deliver that treatment. Where it does not happen, and it repeatedly does not happen, the system is able to exclude that child from the school until such time as he or she is treated. While it might sound a little severe, that is the point that has been reached with this dilemma.
There is a collaborative approach between Territory Health Services and the Department of Education and we are in the middle of a campaign week this week. As the weather becomes more humid, the nits breed faster and more prolifically and we run a `Nits, Not!' campaign. An awareness campaign is running this week with advertisements on television. Notices have been sent out to parents through the newsletters. The message I really would like to deliver to all Territory parents is that they must get behind the program and cooperate with the school and the school nurse. Not only should they allow their children to be examined but, just as importantly, they should undertake the recommended treatment process at home themselves. This is a situation where, if you do not wipe out the lot, the problem will repeat itself with great frequency and great irritation.
Page 1835
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016