Inside of a closed school building, lice can travel from student to student like wildfire. Whether from sharing a hat or hugging a friend, lice becomes a serious schoolwide problem in a very short period of time. With regular lice inspections, children with head lice are removed from school and sent home. No-nit policies dictate when a child is allowed to return.
What is a Nit?
The term nit is used in reference to either an egg or a young, developing parasitic insect that attaches itself to hair. Head lice is the most common parasite with regards to nits, but there are a handful of other insects that cling to hair.
What is a No-Nit Policy
A no-nit policy inside of a school is when a child can return to class, day care or another public center only after all eggs have been killed and removed from the child’s head. The problem? Dead nits linger in the hair long after the live infestation is gone. This means kids lose out on academic and social time (and parents may have to miss work or find a sitter) for no medical reason.
Discontinued No-Nit Policies in Schools
Under the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Center for Disease Control and the National Association of School nurses, children are recommended to stay in school and then receive treatment at home. School systems have adopted a “no live lice” policy. This means a child is allowed to return to school as long as there are no living lice on their head. If you suspect your child has lice, look for live bugs and call your pediatrician for treatment advice.
