It’s uku (lice) season, and we wanted to share some information from the Hawaii DOE about prevention, identification, and treatment.

The school health practice for ukus will include:

• Inspection by the school health aide of a student who may have ukus;
• Notification of the parent/guardian that the student has ukus;
• ​After the parent is notified, the student will return to class where they will remain until the end of the school day, unless the parent opts to take their child home to begin treatment;
• Provision of information on home treatment to the parent/guardian.

Some tips on managing ukus:

• ​Check your child’s hair at least once a week, and if ukus or nits (eggs) are found, treat promptly. You may call your child’s physician for possible treatment solutions, some of which may be covered by insurance;
• Educate yourself and your child about ukus and how to treat them if they are found — these are the best prevention measures;
• Consider keeping your child’s hair slicked back or tied up to reduce risk of acquiring them.