Head lice are tiny, wingless insects that live in human hair close to the scalp and move by crawling (they cannot fly, hop, or jump). The most common way for head lice to spread is by direct, head-to-head contact with a person who already has head lice. Head lice affect all social and economic groups and are not influenced by hair length or hygiene practices. Although head lice can be a nuisance and may cause a high level of stress among educators and caregivers of school-aged youth, head lice do not transmit disease and do not pose any health risks.

A student with suspected head lice may be referred to the clinic for an evaluation by the school nurse. 

If live lice are detected, the referred student will remain in the clinic while their parents/guardians are contacted by the school nurse to coordinate a timely, warm hand-off from school to home. Information regarding first-line treatment and prevention methods will be provided at that time (see ‘Treatment and Prevention Information’ section below) and parents/guardians are encouraged to let their school nurse know if there are any barriers to accessing treatment for head lice so that the nurse may help to address them. 

Students should receive treatment for head lice at home and both over-the-counter and prescription products are available to treat head lice. Parents/guardians should follow package instructions for treating lice and contact their doctor, pharmacist, or health department for additional guidance or support.

Upon return to school after receiving an initial treatment, parents/guardians will accompany the student to the clinic where the student will be re-evaluated by the school nurse. The student may return to class once live lice are no longer detected.

School- or class-wide screenings have no proof of efficacy in limiting the incidence of head lice in a school setting and will not be conducted.  

In the event that three or more instances of live head lice have been reported to and detected by the school nurse in a single school setting (i.e., classroom) in a single school day, schools will consult with School Health Services. This may result in the school sending out school-wide communication to avoid identifying and stigmatizing impacted students to make all parents/guardians aware of a confirmed presence of head lice in the school setting.

Treatment and Prevention Information: 

Parents/guardians of students for whom live head lice has been detected may find the following resources from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) helpful:

• How to Examine for Head Lice

• Treatment of Head Lice