Truth about lice

by Michael Shackleton · June 5, 2011

With the recent outbreak of head lice in the Western Cape, do we really have to continue with the unhealthy practice of the priest and Eucharistic minister blessing a child who has accompanied a parent to the altar at Communion time, by placing a hand on the head of the child? Would it not suffice to place the hand on the forehead rather than on the hair?

Bill McIntosh

Head lice are parasitic wingless insects that live in the hair and feed off blood from the scalp. Their eggs are known as nits. They are most commonly found in primary school children. Because the children play and sit with heads close together and often share items such as hats, headphones, towels and combs, the parasite spreads rapidly by contagion, and it is a major task to be rid of it once infestation has taken place.

Medical treatment is available for this unpleasant condition which is characterised by persistent scratching and sometimes bleeding and infection. Preventive measures include cleanliness of body, hair, clothing, bedclothes, towels and other personal items�and certainly not sharing these with others.

It appears unclear whether touching the hair or foreheads of affected children will necessarily pass on the condition to those not affected, but in the case of a widespread outbreak of head lice in a parish and its contagious nature, medical opinion should be requested. Also, local schools and clinics should be asked whether there has been a recent significant incidence of head lice among their pupils.

The parish priest can then, if necessary, make the decision to discontinue blessing children with the hand on their heads. He could instead bless by making the sign of the cross over them. Eucharistic ministers could perhaps lay a hand on the child�s shoulder. These are possibilities but the bishop or parish priest may want to make a ruling appropriate to the circumstances.

In my experience, blessing the child with a touch to the head is appreciated with satisfaction by parents. Also, those adults who, for certain reasons, present themselves at Communion time with arms crossed over their chests, do so because they value receiving a blessing during Christian community worship.

Therefore, a priest should not be over-hasty in stopping this kind of blessing, unless there is reasonable certainty and sound medical opinion that head lice are being spread in this way.