Reading and Lebanon School Head Lice Policies

For your convenience we at LiceDoctors have located the following resources which show that schools in the area of Reading and Lebanon will only restrict attendance when live lice are present.

READING AREA SCHOOLS

School Procedures

1. If a student presents with possible symptoms of head lice such as severe itching of the scalp, neck or ear area or “dandruff like” particles or “bugs” are seen on hair and scalp that student will be sent to the nurse to be checked for head lice.
2. If the school nurse finds positive evidence of live head lice, the parent/guardian will be notified by phone. The parent/guardian will have the option of picking the child up from school at that time or they may begin treatment after school hours. The student will not return to class.
3. If a child is found to have live lice, any siblings and other children occupying the same home, will also be checked. Entire classrooms will not routinely be checked for lice, unless deemed necessary by the nurse and principal.
4. Parents/guardians will be counseled about treatment choices, treatment procedure and household clean up measures to eradicate the problem in the home. Many parents/guardians have never seen head lice and their eggs. Parents/guardians will be encouraged to come to the health room so that they can be shown an actual head louse and head lice eggs (nits) in order for them to properly treat their child.
5. The next school day after treatment has been completed; your child will be checked for the presence of live lice by the school nurse before returning to the classroom. If live lice are found, the parent will be contacted and the nurse will continue to provide guidance to the parent as to how to alleviate the problem. The nurse will also check the heads of children who have had lice seven (7) days after treatment
6. Depending on the severity of the infestation the child may be checked daily at the nurse’s office until active infestation has been eradicated. The school nurse will continue to assist parents/guardians as needed to help resolve this issue through education and referral to outside agencies as necessary.

Source: Exeter Township School District.

Source: Reading School District Student Health Forms

LEBANON AREA SCHOOLS

“Procedure

At any time during the school year, the school nurse may examine a student for head lice. Pediculosis (infestation by head lice) should not disrupt the educational process. In cases that involve head lice, as in all school health issues, it is vital that the school nurse prevent stigmatizing and maintain the student’s privacy, as well as the family’s right to confidentiality. If lice are identified, the following procedures shall be implemented:

1. The school nurse will provide information to the parent/guardian regarding treatment. Students diagnosed with live head lice can be sent home at the discretion of the nurse, be treated, and return to class after appropriate treatment of live lice has begun. Nits may persist after initial treatment, but successful treatment should kill crawling lice. Head lice can be a nuisance but they have not been shown to spread disease. Personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice.

2. Determine if the student has siblings in the district. If yes, then check the siblings and others in close contact with the affected child. Children found with live head lice should remain in class, but be discouraged from close, direct head contact with others. The school nurse should contact the parents/guardians to discuss treating the child at the conclusion of the day.

Readmission

After the in-home treatment has been initiated and live lice have been removed, the child may return to school, even if nits persist.

The nurse will continue to work with the family through the lice treatment and provide daily checks of the child before school each day.  

Once the nurse has verified that the child is lice/nit free, parents/guardians will be given notification that the child no longer needs daily checking in the nurse’s office at the start of each day.”

Source: Lebanon SD Lice Policy

PENNSYLVANIA STATE LAW

Pennsylvania law prohibits “no nit” policies for schools. If your child’s school still adheres to a policy which is in opposition to current recommendations of the CDC and National Association of School Nurses the following documentation may be of interest to you.

§ 27.71. Exclusion of children, and staff having contact with children, for specified diseases and infectious conditions.

(11)  Pediculosis capitis. The person shall be allowed to return to either the school, child care or other group setting immediately after first treatment. The person shall be reexamined for infestation by the school nurse, or other health care practitioner, 7 days post treatment.

Source: Pennsylvania State Code

LiceDoctors is the best choice to help you eradicate head lice and nits from your children so you can return them to school confident they are no longer contagious. Call 717-963-2100 today for same day treatment and fast resolution to your head lice problem.