Wayside ES - Head Lice Information

Head Lice Information

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.