Head Lice Information
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Information For Parents
- Head lice are tiny, wingless insects that live on the scalp and cause itching.
- Nits are the oval eggs that the lice produce and attach to the hair strands close to the scalp.
- According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and other health authorities, head lice are not a health hazard or sign of uncleanliness and are not responsible for the spread of any disease.
- Nits (lice eggs) that are not viable (1/2 inch or more from the scalp) do not cause the spread of head lice.
- A student is considered to have infestation with head lice if live lice and/or viable nits (those that are closer than ½ inch from the scalp) are observed.
- Removal of nits located ½ inch or more from the scalp is recommended to avoid identification confusion.
- Head lice screening programs are not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics because the screenings have not proven to have a significant effect on the incidences of head lice in a school community.
- When several (3 or more) cases of lice infestation are identified in a classroom, the Lice Identified Letter will be sent to the parents of the students in the affected classroom.
Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Head Lice Guidelines