According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, students with head lice do not need to be excused from class.
According to a recent paper from the academy, head lice infestations aren’t actually a health risk due to low transmission rates, and sending pupils home “may stigmatise children suspected of having head lice.” According to the group, schools should instead provide educational initiatives to assist families in managing head lice.
Dawn Nolt, MD, the report’s principal author, said in a news release that while head lice are an unpleasant aspect of life, they can be effectively treated and are not a reason for a kid to miss school.
According to the paper, schools should stop enforcing “no-nit” laws, which demand that students return to class only after being rid of lice.
“Given the minimal contagiousness inside classrooms, a child or adolescent should not be prohibited from attending school due to head lice. It is preferable to address “no-nit” policies, which bar children or teenagers from entering until all nits are eliminated, with the help of legal counsel for schools, the research states.
According to the findings, lice almost seldom “jump” from one person to another; instead, they almost exclusively transmit through head-to-head contact. Lice can spread if you touch their personal items, including combs or sports helmets, although the likelihood of that happening is quite minimal, according to the academy.
A louse is unlikely to leave a healthy head unless there is a severe infestation, the paper stated. “Lice seen on combs are likely to be damaged or dead.”
The paper provides an algorithm for controlling head lice cases in addition to a list of new drugs for treatment.
The research states that the ideal head lice treatment “should be safe, free of hazardous chemicals, easily available, simple to apply, effective, and affordable.”
Since 2015, the American Academy of Pediatrics hasn’t revised its advice on head lice. Students with head lice do not need to be sent home, according to the CDC.
“Students who have been diagnosed with live head lice do not need to leave school early; they can go home at the end of the day, receive the necessary treatment, and then return to class. After treatment, nits can still be present, but the CDC notes that crawling lice should be killed.
