Head Lice

If your kid gets head lice, should you keep them home from school?

If your unfortunate enough to wind up with head lice in your child's hair, don't panic. Sure, they're inconvenient, creepy and itchy, but they don't transmit disease. The American Academy of Pediatrics says kids should not be restricted from school, and even discourages classroom screenings. They say that a big part of the head lice problem is the anxiety it creates for the parents and the kids. Often they are embarrassed and quarantined in vain. In one study, two thirds of the suspicious samples, thought to be eggs, turned out to be plain old yucky stuff like scabs, dirt or dandruff. That can also result in unnecessary treatments with insecticides.

Anyone can get head lice. It has nothing to do with social class or hygiene. Kids should avoid sharing combs, brushes and hats as a safeguard, but should never refuse protective headgear for fear of head lice. If you do end up with the dreaded head bugs, wash or dry items that came in contact with that head at temperatures above 130 degrees, and then ask a doctor or search on line for a head lice parents guide to get rid of them.