For the first time since 2015, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has updated its guidance on head lice.
The AAP pointed to new medications that have been approved and devised a new algorithm for managing child patients, particularly in relation to school attendance and screening.
One important point the report emphasizes is that head lice infestations are neither a health hazard nor a sign of poor hygiene. On this basis, the association argues that the stigma and psychological stress of a lice diagnosis, especially for kids at school, is unwarranted.
“The stigma can result in children and adolescents being ostracized from their schools, friends, and other social events,” the guidance states. “Head lice can be psychologically stressful to the affected individual.”
Dallas pediatrician Dr. Marciel Oquendo repeated this point, telling NBC that head lice are not a serious health hazard.
“Even though lice is a huge inconvenience for a lot of people, it doesn’t pose a health risk the same way COVID or influenza would,” said Dr. Oquendo.
The AAP now recommends that no healthy child or teenager should be excluded from school or allowed to miss school due to head lice. It also claimed that head lice screening programs in schools are not cost-effective and have not been proven to have a significant impact on combating head lice.
According to Dr. Oquendo, parents should be notified of their child’s situation and decide how to proceed after consulting with their pediatrician, instead of immediately bringing students home and isolating them.
The report’s final key point claimed that “Medical providers should educate school communities that no-[lice] policies for return to school should be abandoned, because such policies would have negative consequences for children’s or adolescents’ academic progress, may violate their civil rights, and stigmatize head lice as a public health hazard.”
So, one child’s feelings outweighs a classroom? And what about those parents that choose to keep their child out for this? One child’s absence should not take over the concern of the school than of having 24 absent. School’s will loose their daily pay per student x 24 then if they request that parents take their one child home, treat it, and then have a nurse/doctor inspect it. It seems that 1 doesn’t trump 24 in this case scenerio.
Don’t know that the proper solution is for many other students and their families to have to share with the infected student. The solution needs more study. We have experience with schools and lice.
Another woke, hypocritical move by the medical establishment.
Vermin infestation in the house is not an ok thing. And everyone knows it can happen to anyone, so where’s the stigma?
I DO NOT AGREE! Im a certified head lice technician and it isn’t always easy to get rid of, can be costly, can be painful to a child if not treated or combed right, its spreads and a child should be kept home until treated properly.
INSANITY. LICE CAN INFECT. GET YOUR INFO STRAIGHT!!!! Doctor will tell you.
I feel if you’re child has lice-Please keep your child at home for at least 2 days of the treatment.
We are walking on eggshells to protect everyone feelings from the truth just so they don’t feel excluded.This is so stupid. My grandson caught lice last year from a student and he literally had to cut his hair off and stay home for several days, as he should have. FYI Parent’s use common sense and don’t send your children to school with lice, this is just ignorant and misinformation.