WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's updated guidelines, students diagnosed with head lice do not need to be sent home early, instead they should get appropriate treatment and return to school the next day.
Earlier, parents were advised not to send their children to school until the lice eggs, also known as nits, were no longer visible on the scalp.
Head lice are parasitic insects, commonly found on the head, causing symptoms like itching, sleeplessness, irritability, and sores on the scalp due to scratching.
'Nits may stay in hair after treatment, but successful treatment will kill crawling lice,' the CDC stated on its website.
The agency also advised schools to discontinue requiring children to be free of lice eggs before returning to class.
The updated guidelines reflect the CDC's belief that, 'Unnecessary days off cause a burden to the students, families, and communities, and far outweighs the risks associated with head lice.'
'Head lice do not transmit any disease and therefore are not considered a health hazard,' the agency noted.
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