Westford Public
Schools
School Health
Services
Management of Students
with Head Lice
Background:
Head Lice or Pediculosis Capitis is
an insect the approximate size of a sesame seed that requires a human host to
survive. Head lice is often detected on the human scalp by the presence of adult
lice or nits attached to the hair shaft. Infestation is common among children ages 3-12
years old. Head lice does not spread disease. Head lice cannot hop, jump or fly;
they crawl. Head lice are primarily spread by close personal contact which
occurs in homes, sleep overs, and camps. Head lice is primarily spread within
the family/households.
Procedure:
At the beginning of each school
year, parents will receive information from the Board of Health on the
diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of head lice.
Parents will be encouraged to
conduct routine head checks on their children to prevent the spread of head
lice.
A student that exhibits signs and
symptoms of head lice should be evaluated by the school nurse educator.
If the school nurse educator finds
evidence of live head lice the student will be dismissed to get treated.
Siblings of student’s in the school system will also be examined.
Student Returning to
School:
If live louse was found, the
student will be rechecked prior to their return to school.
Children found to have nits are allowed to come to
school, although children with adult live lice need treatment before they
return to school.
The school nurse educator will
determine, based on evaluation, the re-admittance and monitoring of the student
upon their return to school.
Head lice are inconvenient but they do not spread disease. Research
does not support the practice of wide or classroom wide “head checks”,
exclusion of infested children, or a no nit policy. School is an unlikely
source of transmission. It is encouraged that parents/guardians check their
child’s hair regularly for evidence of head lice. Every family member should be
checked if head lice is found in your child. If you need assistance checking
for head lice please contact the schools nurse educator.
Reviewed by Westford Public Nurse Educators and the Health
Director for the Town of Westford Health Department.
Adopted September 2015
References:
Frankowski, B., Weiner, L., Committee on School Health; and
the Committee on Infectious Diseases. (2010). Clinical report-Head lice.
Pediatrics, 126(2), 392-403.
Pontius, Deborah J., MSN, RN, NCSN. (2014). Demystifying
Pediculosis: School Nurses Taking the Lead. Pediatric Nursing, 40(5). 226-235.
Sheetz, A.H. & Goodman, I. F. (Eds.) (2007). The
Comprehensive School Health Manual. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Department of
Public Health.
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2015). AAP Updates
Treatment for Head Lice. Retrieved from https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/AAP-Updates-Treatments-for-Head-Lice.aspx
American Academy of
Pediatric. Healthychildren.org. (2015). Head Lice: What Parents Need to Know.
Retrieved from http://healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions http://healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2013).
Head lice information for schools. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gove/parasites/lice/head/schools.html
National Association of School Nurse (NASN). (2011).
Position Statement: Pediculosis in the school settings. Silver Spring, MD:
Author. Retrieved from https://www.nasn.org/PolicyAdvocacy/PositionPapersandReports/NASNPositionStatementsFullView/tabid/462/ArticleId/40/Pediculosis-Management-in-the-School-Setting-Revised-2011
Massachusetts Public Health (MDPH). (2014). Fact Sheet: Head
Lice (Pediculosis). Retrieved from http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/searchresults.html?output=xml_no_dtd&client=mg_eohhs&proxystylesheet=massgov&getfields=*&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&tlen=215&sitefolder=eohhs&filter=0&startsite=EOHHSx&q=head+lice&site=EOHHSx&x=0&y=0
Park, A. (2010). Report: Head Lice is No Reason to Keep Kids
Out of School. Time. Retrieved http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2006397,00.html?xid=rss-topstories