Dear Parent or Guardian:
Your child may have been exposed to scabies due to exposure during transportation and/or participation in different activities throughout the district.
INFORMATION ABOUT SCABIES:
What is it?
Scabies, a common skin infection, is caused by microscopic parasite, a mite that infects only humans. The female mite burrows under the skin to lay her eggs that hatch and start the infestation cycle. An infected person typically has only 10 to 12 mites on the body.
How is it spread?
Anyone who has contact with the mite may become infested with scabies through skin-to-skin contact or skin contact with clothes or bedding. Mites typically survive only 3 days off the body and cannot jump or fly. To be spread, there must be direct contact with skin. Scabies can be transmitted until all mites and eggs are destroyed by treatment.
Symptoms of scabies generally do not appear until 2 to 6 weeks after initial exposure. Upon re-exposure, symptoms may appear within days. Scabies symptoms include an intensely itchy rash with red bumps and burrows - short, wavy, dirty-looking lines in the skin. An infected individual’s scratch marks my cover up the typical appearance of the rash. The rash typically appears on the sides of the fingers and finger-webs, wrists, elbows, underarms, and belt lines. In infants, the head, neck, palms, soles, and buttocks may also be involved.
How is it treated?
Scabies is usually treated with one of several prescription mite-killing creams or lotions applied once to the skin and then washed off after a specified period of time. Medication to relieve the itching is often necessary as well. Even after effective therapy, itching may persist for up to 4 weeks. Some doctors treat all household members (even those without symptoms) to prevent the likelihood of spread within a household.
How can I remove scabies mites from my clothes?
Scabies mites do not survive more than 2-3 days away from human skin. Items such as bedding, clothing, and towels used by a person with scabies can be decontaminated by machine-washing in hot water and drying using the hot cycle or by dry-cleaning. Items that cannot be washed or dry-cleaned can be decontaminated by removing from anybody contact for at least 72 hours.
What should you do about scabies?
​Watch your child for the next 2 to 6 weeks for signs and symptoms of scabies. Do not send your child to school with a suspicious rash. Ask your healthcare provider to diagnose the illness and to give you anti-itching lotions if the itching is disturbing the child. If your child develops scabies, he or she may return to school after treatment has begun.
The district is taking necessary steps to clean and disinfect exposed areas at the school.
If you have any questions and concerns please feel free to contact me.
Dustin Mathews RN
979-773-2525 EXT 3234