Naperville and Aurora Area School Lice Policies

Naperville School District 203

Based on current guidelines, Naperville schools no longer exclude from school students with nits.

“Pediculosis, or head lice, is considered a nuisance, not a disease, by communicable disease experts and agencies such as the Will and DuPage County Health Departments, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Based on information available from these agencies and other evidence based sources, it is no longer recommended that students with nits (but no live lice) be immediately excluded from school or that students be totally nit free prior to being readmitted to class. In addition, because there is no evidence that a classroom screening of students correlates with prevention of the spread of lice, it is recommended that this practice also cease. Therefore, students not found to have live lice but who have nits only in their hair would remain in school until dismissal and whole class head checks would be done only if several students in one grade or class were identified as having lice.

Students who have been sent home with live lice or whose parents have been notified that nits have been found on their child’s head, need to check in at the health office prior to returning to class. All nits found within ¼ inch of the scalp should be removed. Students who have been identified with live lice or nits should be treated with a pediculocide prior to returning to school. Children with live bugs or “viable nits” are not allowed to remain in school.” Source: NSD203

West Aurora SD129

Children with head lice will be sent home from school.

“If a child has any if the following signs or symptoms of illness, he/she will be sent home from the after school program:

-Diarrhea -Fever

-Untreated skin infection -Difficulty breathing

-Severe coughing -Vomiting

-Head lice

The Site Coordinator should be informed of any illness, especially where there is a chance that others may be exposed.”

Source: WASD129

East Aurora School District 131

This district retains a “no nit” policy.  “Students who are found to have live lice or viable nits are sent home with their parents for treatment. Evidence of treatment should be presented to the school nurse at the time the student returns to school.”

Source: EASD131

Whatever the head lice policy is in your child’s school, it is important for parents to be vigilant about head lice checks. If you suspect that your child has head lice, give LiceDoctors a call in the Naperville and Aurora area and we can either come to your family to check or we can give you an idea over the phone of if what you describe to us sounds like lice or nits. Lice policies change and it is incumbent upon parents to know the lice policy of your school district. Your local school nurse or district health supervisor can assist with this. Call us today for lice help at 312-765-7266 and we will make a house call to you to assist you today!