Head Lice In The Senate Has Readers Scratching For More!

    WEST PALM BEACH, FL, February 24, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Kudos to 'onion.com', on their article dated 2/17/09, for satirizing a fictitious outbreak of head lice in the Senate and shining light on the misconceptions and problems faced around the world by sufferers of this condition. While no doubt the article was intended to poke fun at the many ways in which people tend to overreact at the simple mention of head lice, it also reaffirmed the fact that head lice is a real issue for those families forced to deal with it.

Lice Solutions Resource Network, Inc., a nonprofit treatment facility based in West Palm Beach, Fl., knows all too well the anxieties behind a seemingly simple case of head lice. "I've seen moms hospitalized for nervous breakdowns after failed attempts to rid their family of head lice," explained Executive Director Katie Shepherd. "While out shopping, I once ran into a past client. When she saw me she started crying. Although she assured me that our facility was the only good thing during that period of her life, just seeing me brought back the flood of memories."

In an October 2007 research article for the Journal of School Nursing titled "Shared Vulnerability: A Theory of Caring for Children With Persistent Head Lice," Dr. Shirley Gordon RN, PhD found that stress associated with head lice was a serious problem. In her report Dr. Gordon noted "Caregiver strain emerged as the shared basic social psychological problem in caring for children with persistent head lice. As one mother stated, "You just can't imagine how stressful this [head lice] is! It takes over your whole life." Parents/caregivers in the study experienced stress from the moment their children were diagnosed with head lice, throughout treatment efforts, and long after their children's head lice infestation had ended."

In 2002 the American Academy of Pediatrics changed their stand on "no nit" policies proclaiming it was overkill and recommended that schools instead change to "a live bug only" policy. Shepherd however maintains that such a move is a dangerous one that ensures lice will continue to be a problem. "There is no doubt that the "no nit" policy has holes in it and some modification in the policy is certainly justified, however to change to a "live bug only" policy is asking for trouble. The bugs are like chameleons and can blend with their environment. Unless the child has a severe infestation, chances are lice will be missed. Ms. Shepherd explained. "Besides telling parents it's no big deal won't change the way they react when it is their child with head lice."

Shepherd laughed when asked about head lice in the Senate claiming the possibility is not as far fetched as one might think. "I spend lot of time traveling around the country helping where no help is available. One such call for help commented "I'm an attorney, I'm calling from Washington, DC and my wife is in meltdown. How quick can you get here?" I was on a plane to DC the next morning to treat the "lobbyist" and his family" Ms. Shepherd said.
Ms. Shepherd has spent over 10 years helping families eliminate head lice. She is the author of a new book "Lice Advice- The Shepherd Method of Strand by Strand Nit Removal," in which she attempts to dispel false information and provide specific instruction on an effective nit-picking method. She enjoys ongoing collaborations with several universities allowing her to be in the forefront of newer research.

About Lice Solutions Resource Network, Inc.

Ms. Shepherd is the Executive Director of Lice Solutions Resource Network, Inc. with offices in West Palm Beach, Fl. and Nashville, TN. For more information about her book or the services they offer call 561-842-9969 or visit them on the web at www.liceadvicebook.com or www.licesolutions.org.

# # #