Head Lice

Head lice continues to cause concern and frustration for some parents, teachers, and students. Parents/guardians have the primary responsibility for the detection and treatment of head lice. School nurses will work with and assist families as needed in a cooperative and collaborative manner.  

The Health Office will, at the discretion of the school nurse, check students for head lice who have symptoms of: scalp itching, exposure to someone with head lice and per parent request. The Health Office will contact the parent/guardian and send home information for the parent/guardian with children who are found to have live lice.

Exclusion of a student with head lice will be based on the discretion of the school nurse. A child with head lice has likely had head lice for a month or more by the time it is discovered. Due to privacy laws, we do not send home notes when a student in class has been diagnosed with head lice.

If your child has head lice, please notify the Health Office.  

Important facts about head lice: 

• Lice do not hop, jump, or fly.  
• The only way they can get from one person to another is direct sustained touching, head to head. 
• Lice are not passed on by pets. 
• Some head lice have become resistant to the products that once would kill them so no head lice product is 100% effective. That is why combing and nit removal is important.
• Removing the nits (eggs) and live lice with a special metal-tooth comb is time consuming but the most effective way to get rid of them. 
• Schools are not the most common places where head lice are spread, even though they have been blamed in the past.  Sleep- overs among friends and relatives are thought to be a common way they are passed from home to home. 
• School-wide head checks are not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. 
• The most effective screening occurs when parents check their own children at home. 
• Please perform weekly head checks on your student for head lice. 
• Exclusion from school is no longer recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and MN Department of Health in regards to head lice.