Head Lice - No Longer Reason to Keep Kids Home?
Head Lice
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Head lice report says schools should ditch “no nits” policy!
Head lice is a subject that tends to rear its ugly head about this time of year. A head lice report released yesterday from the American Academy of Pediatrics, suggests children with head lice should no longer be kept home from school. The crutch of the report concludes that keeping children home from school has been ineffective in preventing the spread of head lice.
“Report Says its OK to Send Urchins to School with Head Lice”Most schools have adopted a “no nits” policy which sends children home who have contracted head lice and won’t allow them back to school till they are clear of head lice. But, the new report says that by the time scratching is happening, others have already been exposed to the head lice little varmints.
“It’s only a bug on your child, not in your child like the flu or pneumonia,” study author Barbara L. Frankowski, MD, MPH, professor of pediatrics at the University of Vermont in Burlington, says in an email. “Healthy children — which includes children with head lice infestation — should be in school learning,” reports WebMd. “We’re stressing still that healthy children should be in school and schools shouldn’t have no head lice policies,” said Barbara Frankowski, an author of the updated guidelines published online in the journal Pediatrics on Monday;
How do kids get head lice?
“Most cases of head lice are community acquired, often at sleep-away programs or parties, and not uncommonly in the summer,” Devore says. Head lice can’t hop or fly. Instead, they crawl from head to head. “Totally preventing head lice is probably impossible, if you have a normally active, social child,” Frankowski says. “Head lice is a normal risk of childhood, just like colds and scraped knees.”
Head lice are admittedly, nasty little creatures, especially when found on the head of your beloved little ones, but doctors agree they are not a health hazard and they don’t spread any disease. Also, having head lice is NOT a sign of uncleanliness. I know from experience behind the chair that Mom’s immediately panic with the diagnosis of head lice and fear that they are to blame. It’s an irrational fear that is absolutely not true . . . so forget about it . . . head lice are not discerning creatures and can show up on absolutely anyone.
How can you help prevent head lice infestation?
The most effective preventative advice when it comes to head lice is to teach your children not to share combs and brushes. Familiarize yourself on what to look for. Look for signs of head lice on your children by looking through the hair. Check behind the ears and throughout the hair for signs of live head lice. Also look for their eggs, “nits” that are clear in color and are attached to the hair shaft.
Head lice eggs- “nits”
Head lice
To read more about head lice and how to treat head lice, WebMd has this good head lice article.
Also check out my other articles on head lice: Head Lice Pictures Help to Identify, My Hair Remedy for Dandruff, Oily Hair & Head Lice,
Got a question, war story or comment about this topic? Click on the "Leave Your Comments" link at the very bottom of this article. Some of my best ideas for future articles come from reading reader comments. I'd love to hear from you!
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July 27, 2010 By: Barb Quinn Leave your comments (2), Your input matters.
