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In 2003, the National Pediculosis
Association (NPA), proudly celebrated its 20th year anniversary. The NPA
strives to set the highest possible public health standards to protect
children by educating parents and communities in advance of head lice
outbreaks. The NPA encourages community cooperation, routine screening,
and early detection accompanied with thorough manual removal of lice and
nits from a child’s hair.
The NPA supports protocols that enable parents to avoid the panic and
disruption that often accompanies head lice outbreaks. Parents need help
and information in order to avoid the misuse and abuse of potentially
harmful pesticide treatments, and to safely keep their children in school
lice and nit free.
The NPA is the first non-profit organization incorporated specifically
for lice and scabies issues. The NPA has a 20-year record of successfully
setting higher public health standards for children and families:
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First to
warn parents against the use of lindane and environmental lice sprays
marketed to them for furniture and bedding;
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First to launch an
internet web site, distribute a national public service announcement and
publish a book for parents on the issues of head lice;
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Established National Pediculosis (Head Lice) Prevention Month (Congressional
Resolution H.J. Res. 223 - April 2, 1985)
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First to establish
a national reporting registry for head lice outbreaks, treatment
failures and adverse events;
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Facilitated
the first competitive, public-funded, grant from the National Institute
of Allergens and Infectious Diseases for head lice research including
the development of the first
artificial feeding system for the colonization of human head lice
for future study;
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First to
report and to sponsor independent scientific studies on lice
resistance to the
pesticide permethrin in the United States;
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Provided
40,000 LiceMeister®
combs to Kosovo refugees whose head lice infestations were being treated
with extremely dangerous chemicals such as gasoline.
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First to provide
the education and prevention tools for cooperative efforts for
lindane
reduction in municipal water supplies;
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First to recommend
to pediatricians that routine medical histories for children should
include questions about head lice treatment exposures;
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First to recommend
that the Centers for Disease Control include head lice in
guidelines and procedures for children in the classroom with blood-borne disease
(August 1985).
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First to do an
educational outreach project specifically to parents of kids with
existing or previous illnesses and therapies (“Jesse’s Project”);
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First to provide
the necessary information and tools for a comprehensive
non-chemical
approach to head lice!
The NPA's
mission is to ensure that no one is exposed to pesticides for head lice
because of inadequate information or because they do not have access to
a non-chemical choice.
“Because it’s not about lice, it’s about
kids.™” |
