Pediculosis(Head Lice)

Head lice, or Pediculus humanus capitis, are parasitic insects that feed on human blood. You can find them mostly on your head, but also on your eyebrows and eyelashes. Adult head lice are roughly 2 – 3 mm long (about the size of a sesame seed). Both over-the-counter and prescription medications are available to treat head lice in your hair (infestation). Other chemicals that are not labeled for lice treatment are not recommended.
While head lice can be irritating, they are not known to harbor any communicable diseases, and therefore, students with head lice are not excluded from school after the initial treatment has been done at home.

Symptoms

People with head lice may not have symptoms, particularly with a first infestation or when an infestation is light. Itching (pruritus) is the most common symptom of head lice infestation. It is caused by an allergic reaction to louse bites. It may take four to six weeks for itching to appear the first time a person has head lice.

Treating Head Lice

Initial treatment with over the counter or prescription lice products should be done as soon as the first louse is noticed. Recombing/rechecking should be done for up to two weeks, as missed eggs may hatch during that time.

In addition to treating the scalp, all bedding and washable stuffed animals should be washed in hot water. Any items the child sleeps with that are not washable should be placed in a garbage bag, tied off, and placed in the garage for two weeks.

Carpets and cloth furniture, like couches, should be vacuumed routinely for as long as head checks continue.

Head Lice 101
State Guidelines
MCBOE Guidelines