CDC advises students with head lice to get treated and return to school the next day

WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) — Updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says students diagnosed with head lice do not need to be sent home early. Instead, they should receive appropriate treatment and return to school the next day.

In the past, parents were advised not to send their children to school until the lice eggs, also called nits, were no longer visible on the scalp.

Head lice are parasitic insects that often occur on the head. They cause symptoms such as itching, sleeplessness, irritability and scalp sores from scratching.

“Nits may remain in the hair after treatment, but successful treatment kills crawling lice,” the CDC says on its website.

The agency also advised schools to stop requiring children to be free of lice before returning to school.

The updated guidelines reflect the CDC’s belief that “unnecessary days off place a burden on students, families, and communities, far outweighing the risks associated with head lice.”

“Head lice do not transmit diseases and therefore pose no health risk,” the agency said.

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