LICE TIPS

In 2009, the Iowa Department of Public Health revised its guidelines for schools and head lice management. Basically, the recommendations are for schools to drop their "no nit" policies and allow students to remain in school until the end of the school day.

Sonoma County schools have eliminated their "no nit" lice policy and now permit students with nits to remain in school with the following stipulations.

The New Jersey Department of Health dissuades the implementation of "no nit" policies in schools as explained below: "What is the school’s role in the prevention and control of head lice in children? Because a child with an active head lice infestation has likely had the infestation for a month or more by the time it is discovered, he or she should be allowed to remain in class, but be discouraged from close direct head contact with others.

Per the guidelines published in 2004 by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, children who have had a head lice treatment “should not be excluded from school if nits are present (“no-nit” policies are discouraged).

School nurses in each school district should collaborate with their local health departments and school administration to create and enforce consistent policy guidelines throughout the district.

Springfield schools do not allow students with live bugs to remain in school, but students with nits are allowed to return to school after treatment.

The Columbus schools do not maintain a “no nit” policy. If a child is found to have live lice then the child will be sent home to be treated. Upon return to school the next day the policy is stated on the district web site as: “The school nurse or another staff member trained in the procedure will check your child’s head to make sure there are no live bugs and progress has been made on combing."

The schools in the Inland Empire maintain a strict "no nit" policy. Children with head lice and nits are not permitted in school. It is important for parents to check with their children's school to be sure that your child is ready to return to school. The head lice policy with the Inland Empire is relatively strict compared to other school districts across the country that are moving toward less stringent guidelines and allowing kids with some nits back into school after they have been treated.

National recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of School Nurses recommend that no healthy child be excluded from school due to head lice.

School Lice Policies for Raleigh and Durham. Each school district in North Carolina is responsible for its own head lice policy. Each district has its own take on the head lice problem that confronts schools today and have their own unique policies.