Why do we no longer have a 'No-Nit' Policy for lice
No-Nit Policy Questions and Answers
Why do we no longer have a "No-Nit" Policy for lice?
"No-Nit" policies are not supported by research and not recommended by experts.
Who has done research and/or submitted position/opinion statements?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (ACIP), National Association of School Nurses (NASN), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Harvard College, Kentucky School Boards Association (KSBA) and the Department of Public Health.
What does the research say?
ACIP - Head lice screening programs have not been proven to have a significent effect on the incidence of head lice and are not cost effective; manual removal of nits is not necessary to prevent spread of head lice; no healthy child with head lice should be excluded from school;
No-Nit policies should be discouraged.
NASN - management of head lice should not disrupt the educational process; students with live lice should be referred for treatment; students should not be excluded for nits only.
CDC - most head lice are transferred from closer contact in the home (sitting close together, sleeping together, sleepovers, hugging).
Harvard - nits only may or may not be a sign of active infestation; if nits are further than 1/4 inch away from the scalp, it is not active. Lice are only spread from direct head to head contact.
KSBA - in most cases, students with live lice should not be excluded from school but parents must be notified and student treated.
Public Health - only 18% of children with nits only convert to live lice; nits cannot be transferred to someone else.
How does a nit become a louse?
It takes 6-10 days for a nit to hatch into a nymph (immature louse). When the nymph becomes an adult louse, it must still be fertilized by another adult louse before it can lay eggs (nits). Even in the worst case scenario, if on day 10 a nit hatches at school, the nymph is still an immature louse and needs to find a second nymph and be fertilized before it can lay any eggs (nits). This is so highly unlikely as not to be a risk. So, if a student has nits only, they can remain in school.
What is the life span of a louse?
30 days. A louse can only survive 24 hours without blood when it falls from the host head.
How are lice transmitted?
Head to head contact. Lying down in an area that was recently in contact with an infected person or sharing infected clothes or combs. Lice do not fly or jump. Just sitting down next to someone with lice will not cause a spread.
Are head lice a health hazard?
They are a nuisance. They are embarrassing. They make people uncomfortable. But they do not transmit disease. The common cold is much more of a problem. Parents need to know that children can get head lice while at school…but they can also contact it from other places. Schools do not have head lice…children do.
Recommendations for Schools:
Instruct children not to share hats, combs, etc.
Hang coats separately or bag them in classroom.
Don't pile coats together on playground.
Children shouldn't lie on floor or rugs with heads together.
Lice sprays are not recommended for classrooms or home. They are not effective and can be dangerous to people with chronic respiratory conditions.
Head checks will only be done on individual students who have evidence of head lice (teacher referral, itching scalp).
If a student is found to have live lice by school personnel - parents will be contacted to pick up their child from school, treat the child and personally return them to school to be rechecked by trained school personnel. Informational letter on head lice can be given to parent.
The class of the student with live lice will be checked.
It is recommended that principals send notification letters home with the students of the affected class if the live louse was found by school personnel.
Students with nits only will be returned to class, parents notified and student rechecked by trained school personnel when they are personally returned to school by their parents. Informational letter on head lice can be sent home with student.
No notification letters will be sent to class for nits only.
If a parent calls school to report that they have found head lice on their child, the student will be checked upon their return to school. The student's class will not be checked in this instance, but the principal may choose to send an informational letter home with the students in the affected class.
The principal can also send this informational letter home periodically throughout the year to the entire school and put reminders about the possibility of head lice in school newsletters occasionally
Lice prevention and treatment is primarily a parent's responsibility.
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