New lice guidelines look to keep kids in school
Dec 11, 2012, 5:00 AM | Updated: 3:23 pm
Lice is no longer keeping kids out of some schools.
New guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics suggest active lice requires treatment, but if your child just has the nits or eggs on their scalp. they’re probably safe to go to school.
Surprise pediatrician Dr. John Sarmiento agrees with the guidelines.
“Having the white dots on the hair does not necessarily mean they have an active lice infection,” he said. “We don’t routinely recommend for these schools to have the [no nit] policies that they’ve had for decades.”
Sarmiento said one treatment is often enough to kill the lice and prevent it from being spread through direct contact.
“A lot of these kids do miss school, and unnecessarily because of it,” he said.
Lice can be passed through scarves and hats, which are more common during winter months.
If you’re still scratching your head about whether your kid can go to school, simply check with the school about their lice policy.
