LiceDoctors Lice Treatment Service Reports Hartford Area Schools Adopt More Lenient Lice Policies

Hartford, CT, January 15, 2015 --(PR.com)-- In keeping with the direction of many school districts across the U.S., schools in Connecticut are becoming more lenient when it comes to allowing students to return to school after being treated for head lice. Many schools that had previously denied students access until all nits (lice eggs) had been removed have now dropped their "no nit" policies. This move is an effort to prevent students from missing too much school, reports Wendy Beck of LiceDoctors Head Lice Treatment and Nit Removal Service. LiceDoctors is the nation's largest lice treatment service and has treated hundreds families in Connecticut.

Beck notes that in some schools, students have missed days or even weeks of school as they fight the battle with lice. In recent years, key medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, National Association of School Nursing, and the Center for Disease Control all recommend that schools drop their "no nit" policies. The American Academy of Pediatrics advocates that children with live lice be allowed to remain in school until the end of the school day. The policy is stated as, “A student who is found with lice may remain in school and in class until the end of the day. Discretion should be used regarding individual cases. Students should be discouraged from close head-to-head contact with others... Notification letter with treatment options should be sent home with student. Siblings and close contacts of a student with live lice should be examined. Remember to keep the student’s identity confidential as to avoid undue embarrassment. The student may return to school when the parent/guardian reports having treated the student and the student has no live lice are found on inspection.”

The reason for this advice from the aforementioned medical groups is that by the time a case is uncovered, the child has likely been in school already for weeks. In addition, once a child has been treated and returns to school with only nits, he or she is not contagious unless the nits are left to hatch. You can not transfer nits to another child.

According to Beck, the change in policy has been generally well received by school nurses. "We have spoken to a number of nurses who say that they support this policy as they saw children missing a lot of school when they really weren't sick. They understand that parents get upset about lice but the reality is that it is a nuisance not a disease. Parents tend to be less favorable of the policy as they fear that their child will be exposed to another child's lice."

Lisa S. in West Hartford is one such parent. "My daughters had head lice and it was tough to get rid of them. The last thing I want is to send them to school knowing that another child in the class has lice and could give it back to them. I feel bad that kids have to miss school but until their case is eliminated, that's the only fair thing to do for other kids."

Schools in Wethersfield, Hartford, Branford, West Hartford, and Vernon, among others, have adopted a more lenient head lice policy, allowing children with nits to return to school. Bristol-Burlington and East Windsor still maintain "no nit" policies, a position supported by the National Pediculosis Association in a lobbying organization in Newton, Massachusetts.

The trend toward eliminating “no nit” policies is likely here to stay according to Beck of LiceDoctors. "There are certainly reasonable arguments on either side of the issue-- both in favor and against 'no nit" policies. While all healthy children should be in school, parents who have spent money and time successfully treating their child or who fear that their child will become infested are right to be upset that their child may be exposed to another case of lice. While a child with nits is not contagious, if that child is not on an appropriate follow-up plan, those nits will hatch and the child will become contagious. Unless someone is vigilant about watching all kids with nits, there will be some whose nits hatch and then you have an active, contagious case."

To become educated about head lice, visit LiceDoctors' web site at www.licedoctors.com. LiceDoctors has an in-home lice treatment service that has successfully treated over 125,00 clients using a natural lice treatment plan developed by their board-certified medical director 19 years ago. LiceDoctors has a medical doctor on staff and the company has the Better Business Bureau Seal of Approval and can be contacted in the Hartford, Connecticut area at (860) 650-0315 to make an appointment now. LiceDoctors is available every day and night of the year.