Does Your School District Have a No-Nits Policy?

Despite the fact that there is no evidence suggesting no-nit policies prevent or shorten lice outbreaks in schools, many school districts still embrace them. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that no-nit policies should be abandoned and that kids shouldn’t have to miss school—which can encourage stigmatization for kids and cause significant inconvenience for parents—if nits are found, provided treatment is initiated the evening following nit or lice identification.

The Ohio Department of Health and many Ohio schools, while often supportive of certain revisions in no-nit policies, do not all embrace the American Academy of Pediatrics’ full guidelines. Current recommendations at many schools still require that no nits or lice be found on children prior to their return to school. This is in spite of evidence that the presence of nits does not always indicate an infestation. Furthermore, head lice and nits do not transmit disease.

Problems with No-Nit Policies 

Perhaps the worst problem with no-nit policies is the fact that many children are mistakenly told they have lice when they may not. Teachers and other non-medical personnel often confuse nits and lice with dandruff, hair product, and other substances. Dandruff and lice have similar symptoms and appearances.

Furthermore, many kids with lice infestations don’t actually experience itchiness—meaning they may go months with unidentified infestations while kids who do feel itching may be immediately sent home. Many schools do not conduct regular lice checks with trained personnel, so the “expert” diagnosing and sending your kid home for treatment may not be incredibly reliable. Before treating your child with a head lice pesticide, over-the-counter treatment, or home remedy for lice, carefully examine his or her hair and scalp searching for nits or lice (this is what lice look like). If you are still unsure, ask a pediatrician to officially check your child.

Contrary to popular belief, lice and nits are not an indication of poor hygiene. They can affect people of any level of cleanliness or wealth. Lice affect children more often than adults because they spread through head-to-head contact or shared hats, helmets, and pillows. Despite the fact that head lice infestation has nothing to do with hygiene, many kids with lice are stigmatized by their peers (and even many adults).

Isolating affected children and forcing parents to take time off from work may do more harm than good. With prompt treatment, regular checks (by parents), and avoidance of head-to-head contact, many schools can abandon no-nit policies without seeing an increase in head lice outbreaks.

If your child has been sent home from school for presence of lice or nits, ask for a copy of the school district’s policy and confirm with a health professional that your child needs treatment. If your school district still has a no-nit policy, consider asking the school board to review the policies supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Ohio Department of Public Health. A revised policy may save you and other families the stress, stigma, and inconvenience of a strict no-nits policy while still keeping other kids safe.