Head lice are tiny, wingless insects that live in human hair close to the scalp and move by crawling. Head lice 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-age 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 or guardians are contacted by the school nurse to coordinate a timely, warm handoff from school to home. Information regarding first-line treatment and prevention methods will be provided at that time — see the "Treatment and prevention information" section below. Parents and guardians are encouraged to let their school nurse know if there are any barriers to treating head lice so that the nurse can help address them. 

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

When students return to school after receiving an initial treatment, parents or guardians should accompany the student to the clinic, where the student will be reevaluated by the school nurse. The student may return to class once live lice are no longer detected.

Schoolwide or classwide screenings are not proven to limit the incidence of head lice in a school setting and will not be conducted.  

If three or more instances of live head lice have been reported to and detected by the school nurse in a classroom or other single school setting in a single school day, schools will consult with HCPS' Department of School Health Services. The school may make all parents and guardians aware of a confirmed presence of head lice in the school setting, but communication will be schoolwide to avoid identifying and stigmatizing affected students.

Treatment and prevention information: 

Parents or guardians of students who have had live head lice detected may find the following resources from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention helpful:

• How to Examine for Head Lice

• Treatment of Head Lice