CDC guidelines: Students don’t have to be sent home from school early with lice

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — If you thought your child would have to go home from school early with lice, national health guidelines actually said they don’t. KFOR spoke with a local expert who said she understands why they state that, but still disagrees.

"Their parents struggle with getting rid of lice and they've been struggling for days and the school won't let them back in and so they're the parents will end up facing truancy charges,” Frances Dickerson said, referring to her understanding of the guidelines.

Dickerson owns Liceology, a lice treatment facility, in northeast Oklahoma City. While she said she understands the CDC’s guidelines, she doesn’t necessarily agree.

"Lice can spread very easily, so it puts everyone else at risk,” she said.

The guidelines state students can go home at the end of the day, get treated and return the next day.

A couple districts we spoke to have policy requiring the opposite. Oklahoma City Public Schools procedure requires getting a parent to come get the student to take them home. If they can’t get them, the student will be accommodated in the classroom and excluded at the end of the day. If nits, or eggs, are found, the student can’t come back until they’re gone. The same goes there for Mustang Public Schools.

"Getting all the nits out is very important,” Dickerson said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and National Association of School Nurses are on board with the CDCs policies. They also advocate for an end to no-nit policies, because they state that it’s unlikely for those eggs to transfer to someone else among other reasons.

"Nits could be due to hatch at any moment,” Dickerson said. "95 percent of the time we start combing there’s bugs in there."

While only a nuisance, lice can’t fly or jump and don’t carry disease. However, Dickerson said it’s still best to go home if they’re found.

"It is definitely a hazard to everyone else,” Dickerson said.

The CDC doesn’t make any recommendations on what products to use while treating lice infestations, but both prescription and over the counter products are available. There are also places like Liceology that are professional lice removers. Both districts policies as well as the Oklahoma State Department of Health’s guidance are attached to this story.

Below are also some statements from three districts.

We will assess the recently released CDC guidelines in conjunction with existing board policies to evaluate any necessary adjustments. Additionally, our team will follow recommendations from local and state public health agencies.

Mid-Del School District

OKCPS will follow our Board Policies and/or Administrative Regulations regarding any health related matter. We also adhere to guidance from our local (OCCHD) and state (OSDH) public health agencies concerning head lice and other communicable diseases.

Oklahoma City Public Schools

Moore Public Schools follows guidance on incidents of lice offered through the Oklahoma State Department of Health, and we adopted a revised MPS Board Policy on April 8, 2024. We will soon review new guidance developed by the CDC and will look to the Oklahoma State Department of Health for changes on guidance against our newly-adopted policy.

Moore Public Schools