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PYRETHRIN -- [Rid Shampoo, Rid Mousse, Clear, Pronto] Pyrethrin comes from the
chrysanthemum flower. Though naturally derived, pyrethrins are still pesticides which
have recently been banned from agricultural use in food production. The concern is that
pyrethrins can cause pneumonia, muscle paralysis, death due to respiratory failure,
vomiting, and asthma (But you can still get it in head lice treatments!).

Remember that plants can also be bad for us: heroin is made from poppy flowers, cocaine is made from
the coca plant and azalea's are extremely poisonous to humans.

Okaloosa schools revamp head lice policy
RACHEL KYLER
Tuesday August 14th, 2007

Kids will be kids � so, no policy can completely eradicate head lice, Okaloosa County health officials say.

But following parental concerns, the Okaloosa County School District officials are going to try their best to control
breakouts.

The School Board approved new head lice guidelines at its meeting Monday.

The Health Department ended its �no nit,� or �all clear policy,� a few years ago.

Students were required to bring in a dated receipt and an empty bottle of lice shampoo. But some parents feared other
parents merely bought the shampoo, dumped it out and sent in empty bottles.

Now, students discovered with head lice will still be sent home with written procedures for treatment. They will be
allowed to return to school once they had written documentation they were being treated and then checked by a school
nurse in seven days.

Prior to the �no nit� policy, students were missing up to three weeks of school, school district officials say.

Karen Chapman, director of the Okaloosa County Health Department, told School Board members she didn�t want to
delude anyone into thinking any policy would be a cure-all.

With constant contact, young students will continue to pass head lice, Chapman said.

�It�s a function of who kids are,� she said.

But after treating her daughter twice in one school year, Plew Elementary School parent Shawna Crist was concerned
about the health effects of repeatedly picking up lice.

�There is no safe pesticide,� she said. �In 10 or 15 years, my daughter may have an inoperable brain tumor � I�m not
willing to take that risk with my 8-year-old.�

Chapman agreed that pesticides could be harmful.

�I would not repeatedly treat my own child with a pesticide,� she said.

But Chapman said heart of the issue is education.

�(Students) can�t learn anything if they are not in the classroom,� she said.

And in the classroom, students will continue to pass lice to each other, regardless of social, cultural or economic
standing, Chapman said.

�Children will be children. They will tussle. They will play with each other,� she said. �It doesn�t matter what you�re
socio-economic status is.�

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