LICE TIPS

Evanston/Skokie School District 65 school lice policy is more lenient than other areas.

Children in Columbia schools are “permitted to attend school after proper treatment.” Source: Howard County Public Schools

Students with nits only will be allowed to remain in school, although they must be treated at home. ”Infestations An infestation of the head by the head louse pediculus humanus capitis. Head lice spend their life cycles on the skin of the human host. Lice are spread by direct contact (head to head) with an infested person and by contact with contaminated articles such as brushes, clothing, bedding, hair bows, etc. Treatment Lice DO NOT transmit any disease and are considered a “nuisance” problem by both the Center for Disease Control and the HowardCounty Health Department.

The Arlington Heights School District has a “no live lice” policy. Children with live bugs are not allowed in school. If it is confirmed that a child, while at school, has nits and/or head lice, the parents will be notified immediately. The child will not be excluded from class, but will be allowed to complete the day. It will be the parent’s responsibility to choose the treatment that best meets the needs of the child and the family. Parents/guardians will be required to provide proof of treatment prior to the student returning to school.

We have been treating head lice for over 20 years and have only come across beard lice three times, out of over half a million cases we’ve treated.

ARLINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT Schools in Arlington, Virginia have dropped “no nit” policies; they issued the following policy in 2013. Children with head lice are allowed to stay in school. “In August 2013 the School Health Bureau completed a review of the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Association of School Nurses regarding head lice in schools. Updated recommendations and best practices are summarized below. Facts About Head Lice Head lice move by crawling; they cannot hop or fly.

Ellicott City schools have moved away from their “no nit” policy which stated, “If a child is found to have head lice, the parents/guardians will be notified. The child will only be readmitted to the program after the staff determines that the lice treatment has been effective and/or it has been 24 hours since the treatment began. A notice will be posted, along with a communicable disease fact-sheet.” Currently the schools have adopted recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics which state: “Routine checks of all students for lice is not recommended.

This district has dropped its “no nit” policy. Students with lice should be treated and can return to school afterward. Control of Cases: Exclude case from school at the end of the school day. Case may return to class after appropriate treatment has begun. “No nit” policies should be discontinued. Cases should be re-inspected by nurse/staff 7-10 days after treatment has begun. Control of Contacts: No Restrictions. Classroom or school-wide screenings and blanket notification to others of the situation are not recommended.

Please note that students in Germantown and Gaithersburg school district will not be permitted to return to school until they are lice and not free. Here is the lice policy for both schools.

Plano schools have a lenient lice policy in accordance with recommendations from major health organizations. Children with lice and nits will be permitted to remain in school and will be sent home for treatment after school.