If you have ever dealt with head lice, then you know that getting rid of them can be very difficult. Fortunately, there are some simple steps and schoolwide policies that you and your colleagues can follow to decrease the likelihood that the children you teach will get head lice.

Head lice infestation is common in the United States among children 3 to 12 years old. Head lice do not pose a health hazard or transmit disease. Nor are they a sign of poor hygiene, child abuse or neglect.

Head lice eggs, or nits, are not equivalent to head lice and, unlike lice, nits cannot be transmitted from person to person.

Although transmission of head lice in the classroom is uncommon, children should nevertheless be discouraged from sharing hats and other hair accessories in order to prevent the spread of lice.

 

What is the DOE policy on children with lice?

Students with head lice should be told to remain home from school until they are lice-free. Excluded students will be examined for lice by the principal’s designee when they return to school and rechecked 14 days later to confirm that they remain free of lice.

Students with nits but no signs of live head lice should not be excluded from school, and there should be no schoolwide surveillance conducted for nits. Routine head inspections have not been shown to reduce the number of students suffering with lice infestation.

 

What are head lice?

Head lice are very small, wingless insects that feed on human blood. The adult louse is two to three millimeters long (the size of a sesame seed) and usually pale gray, although color may vary.

Lice eggs, or nits, are found firmly attached to the hair shaft close to the scalp and appear as small white flecks.

 

What are the symptoms of head lice infestation?

The first indication of head lice infestation is usually itching or scratching at the back of the head or around the ears. Any child exhibiting this behavior should be checked for head lice by the principal’s designee.

It may take as long as two to three weeks or longer for a person to notice the intense itching associated with lice infestation.

 

Who suffers from head lice infestation?

Anyone can get lice. Transmission typically occurs during direct contact with an infected individual or with objects used by them, such as hats, clothing, combs or brushes.

 

Treating lice

Several medicated shampoos or cream rinses are effective at killing lice. Products containing permethrin or pyrethrins are available over the counter. To avoid side effects and toxicity, dose and duration of treatment should be followed according to label instructions. Retreatment after seven to 10 days is usually recommended to ensure that no eggs have survived. Nit combs are available to help remove nits from hair.