Misha Gervais forced her sons to shave their heads after pesky little bugs wouldnB次元官网网址檛 leave them alone.

Now the West Shore mother is circulating a petition to have the Sooke School District change its policy and send children with lice home. It has 250 names so far.

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 send children home. Lice are a social issue not a health issue.B次元官网网址� said Roberta Kubik, assistant superintendent for School District 62.

The district has a lice policy that includes offering support to families dealing with lice. The school district purchased some lice combs from Europe (that they say are most effective) and lend them out.

B次元官网网址淲e will help out families who need a little extra support,B次元官网网址� Kubik said. B次元官网网址淲e have 9,000 children in the district, it can be a problem.B次元官网网址�

While there is no rhyme or reason, Kubik said, September, January and March tend to have more cases of lice occurring in schools.

Happy Valley elementary students Parker and Tegan Naus caught the parasite three times this September.

The brothers were not thrilled when their mother and hairstylist pulled out the clippers in frustration.

B次元官网网址淚 did not like it when my mother shaved my head,B次元官网网址� said Tegan, 8, who prior the haircut sported shoulder-length hair. He plans to grow it out again.

Parker, 10, only a had few inches of hair and said heB次元官网网址檇 rather have a shaved head than lice, but wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have chosen the haircut.

The cuts were a last resort after spending many hours using lice shampoos and cleaning anything potentially infected.

B次元官网网址淚t doesnB次元官网网址檛 feel very good when my mom gets the lice of my hair,B次元官网网址� said Tegan, talking about the lice shampoos and combing method.

B次元官网网址淢y boys know not to touch heads, they are not allowed to share hats. If they are playing floor hockey at school they have to bring their own helmets from home or they donB次元官网网址檛 get to play,B次元官网网址� Misha said.

Knowing first-hand the effort it takes to treat lice she is sympathetic to other families and has given lice treatment products and even offered free  haircuts to children at the school to help with the problem.

Compounding the problem, is a differing policy in the before- and after-school care program. They couldnB次元官网网址檛 return until the lice was gone.

B次元官网网址淚 had to cancel on my clients to pick up my children, but I didnB次元官网网址檛 want the lice to spread,B次元官网网址� Misha said. B次元官网网址淲orking in a salon, if someone comes in with lice you have to close the salon.B次元官网网址�

At Happy Campers itB次元官网网址檚 policy to send kids with lice home.

B次元官网网址淲e do send kids home, we donB次元官网网址檛 want it to spread,B次元官网网址� said Lucy-Ann Smith, Happy Campers owner. B次元官网网址淲henever a kid with lice is here, we have to sanitize the entire facility.B次元官网网址�

Happy Campers has 12 facilities on the West Shore and they regularly check children for lice.

Smith, also a mother of three, understands the struggles of dealing with lice.

B次元官网网址淚 know how much sterilization is involved,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 was up until two in the morning vacuuming.B次元官网网址�

Misha hopes her petition will have the Sooke School District adopt policies from other child care providers forcing parents to deal with the issue sooner, by having children sent home.

Sometimes school districts including the Sooke district call in public health nurses to help families dealing with lice.

B次元官网网址淟ice donB次元官网网址檛 hop or jump,B次元官网网址� said Maureen Rowan, West Shore public health clinical co-ordinator of West Shore public health.

Island Health has no official policy for lice in schools and Rowan explained itB次元官网网址檚 up to each individual school district on how they choose to handle it.

B次元官网网址淗ead lice is not a serious disease, they are a nuisance,B次元官网网址� Rowan said. B次元官网网址淗ead lice have been here since the bog man.B次元官网网址�

Island Health suggests parents use the B次元官网网址渨et combing method,B次元官网网址� she said.

Wet combing is when you cover the infected head with a large amount of conditioner. It will suffocate the lice which can then be combed out with a special lice comb. It should be continued every four days for two weeks.

The combing catches adult lice and is repeated to catch all the adults as eggs hatch ensuring no more eggs can be laid.

B次元官网网址淵ou need to interrupt the cycle,B次元官网网址� Rowan said.