LICE TIPS

Schools in the Skokie and Wilmette areas adhere to “evidence-based management” of head lice and do not adhere to previous “no nit“ policies. Skokie Schools DISTRICT 65 LICE MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES “Evanston/Skokie School District 65 lice management procedures reflect standard practice as recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), the American School Health Association (ASHA), the Harvard School of Public Health, and many others.

You see a bug crawl off your child’s head. Your schedule is busy and who needs this aggravation? What makes more sense? Choice one is you make an appointment and interrupt everyone’s schedule to bring them to a lice clinic OR you call LiceDoctors, go about your business, and wait for them to come to you to treat everyone at home?

The Tacoma School District Board of Directors revised the district head lice policy in July 2009 (Policy 3410 – Student Health). Tacoma School District no longer has a “no nit” policy. The policy is stated as: “When a student is suspected of having lice or nits, please refer the student to the nurse or designated employee trained by the nurse to do such checks for a private, personal assessment. Universal precautions are to be used to avoid transmitting the lice to others.

In both of Renton and Burien school districts, students with lice may remain in school for the day, but must be treated at home. Children with nits may attend school.

Bellevue Schools no longer have a “no nit” policy. “Head lice are small insects with six legs usually the size of a sesame seed (the seeds on burger buns). Head lice feed on human blood several times during a 24 hour period. The primary symptom of head lice is scalp itch. This is caused by a reaction to the saliva a head louse deposits as it bites into the host. They live on or very close to the scalp and don’t wander far down the hair shafts for very long. They are best seen in bright light and will move if light is directed to scalp.

Unlike surrounding school districts, Kent schools retain a “no nit” lice policy. Children with live bugs or nits will not be permitted to attend school. “Head Lice – According to district procedure, any child with lice or nits will be excluded from school until adequately treated, and ALL nits are removed. Students will check in at the school office before returning to class. The first two days of absence because of head lice are excused.

In 2010, the Everett School District revised its lice policy; no longer are students excluded from school because of head lice. “EVERETT, Wash. — Everett schools are allowing children with head lice to remain in class while they are being treated. The district says the change in policy is based on thinking that missing class is worse than the risk of spreading the itchy parasites.” Source: The Daily Caller It is important to note that head lice will not go away by themselves. They require treatment which involves physically removing the nits from the hair and killing the lice.

Can you drown lice? How long can lice survive in water? Read our blog post to find out if you can get rid of lice by drowning them in water.

Please note that students in this school district will not be sent home on account of head lice. Manassas schools follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the National Association of School Nurses (NASN). Students found with live head lice may remain in school for the day and then be treated at home before returning to school the next day. It is expected at that point that live bugs will no longer be on the head but a few nits may remain. Nits are not contagious.

Dale City and Woodbridge are in Prince William County and adhere to the district lice policy which is no longer a “no nit” policy. Children with live lice may remain in school and go home at the end of the day to be treated. Children with nits may return to school.