Bucks County School Head Lice Policies

BUCKS COUNTY SCHOOLS

The following school districts reside in Bucks County, and most follow Pennsylvania State policies advising against strict “no nit” policies:

Bensalem, Bristol Borough, Bristol Township, Centennial,  Central Bucks, Council Rock,  Morrisville, Neshaminy,  New Hope-Solebury, Palisades, Pennridge, Pennsbury, and Quakertown Community.

Bensalem Area schools

Schools in Bensalem still wish for students to be nit free before returning to school. 

“If a child has Head Lice, a child can be readmitted to school after they have been treated and remain lice/nit free. It is the parent’s responsibility to provide the name of the product used and date used to the school nurse. The parent should bring their child to the school nurse upon the child’s return to school, prior to reporting to the classroom. The school nurse shall re-examine the child as needed for further infestation. To ensure that nits are killed after hatching, a second treatment is recommended 8-10 days after the first.”

Source: Bensalem TSD Student Handbook

Central Bucks County

“In 2012, the Central Bucks County school district recommended changes to the current lice policy to reflect standard practice as recommended by the Center of Disease Control (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American School Health Association.

According to the district web site, "none of these organizations recommend that all the students in a class where an active case is found be automatically checked for lice. When lice are found on a child at school, the parents will be notified and the school nurse will provide the parent with information on appropriate treatment. Treatment is required and a student who is not appropriately treated may not return to school. Why would these organizations make these recommendations?

• Lice do not cause disease and are not dangerous to children or others.
• By the time lice is discovered the child has usually had them for 3-4 weeks.
• School is not a high risk area for getting lice. Research over the past 10 years has consistently shown that school is rarely the place of lice transmissions. The vast majority of cases of lice are spread by friends and family members.
• The burden of unnecessary absenteeism to the students communities far outweighs the risks associated with head lice.
• Lice are only spread through head to head contact. They are much harder to “catch” than the common cold.
• Lice can only crawl; they can neither jump nor fly.
• Lice cause an emotional reaction. The “no ‘nit” policies of the past were based on that reaction not on scientific evidence of how lice were passed."

Source: Central Bucks SD Health Services

PENNSYLVANIA STATE LAW

Pennsylvania law prohibits “no nit” policies for schools. If your child’s school still adheres to a policy which is in opposition to current recommendations of the CDC and National Association of School Nurses the following documentation may be of interest to you.

Ҥ 27.71. Exclusion of children, and staff having contact with children, for specified diseases and infectious conditions.

(11)  Pediculosis capitis. The person shall be allowed to return to either the school, child care or other group setting immediately after first treatment. The person shall be reexamined for infestation by the school nurse, or other health care practitioner, 7 days post treatment.”

Source: Pennsylvania State Code: https://www.pacode.com/secure/data/028/chapter27/s27.71.html

Whether your child’s school sticks to a “no nit” policy or will allow him or her to return to school once treatment has begun, we know that you want to be sure that the treatment you have used is effective. Call LiceDoctors at 215-344-1413 today for guaranteed peace of mind.