Guidelines for Head Lice in Schools
No-Nits?? - I, and many other entomologists, have argued for a long time that a diagnosis of head lice is no reason to keep kids out of school , or to otherwise s ingle them out for special treatment. It now seems that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) agrees. The new AAP guidelines are aimed mostly at schools and are released at a time when some schools still suspend students that show any sign of head lice, including simple head-scratching and/or the presence of nits ( lice eggs ). In a recent article the AAP now recommends that: no-nit policies (1) should be dropped in favor of keeping kids in school head lice should not be treated as a serious medical issue but instead as a manageable nuisance head lice should not be considered an indication of unsanitary conditions at home head lice should be diagnosed by a pediatrician, not by nit-screening at school and, that excessive cleaning at home or school is not needed Most head lice infestations can be man...