Head Lice

We are posting this information about important updates to the LWSD Head Lice Procedures. These changes have been reviewed and created with guidance from the CDC, Washington State Department of Health, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Association of School Nurses.

Key points

1. Understanding head lice:
   • Head lice are common and can affect anyone, regardless of hygiene or living conditions. While lice can be inconvenient, they do not transmit any disease and therefore are not considered a health hazard.
   • Lice are very small insects that are gray, brown, or black. They hatch from eggs called nits that attach to the hair very close to the scalp. Nits are tiny white or gray eggs about the size of a sesame seed.
   • 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. Other symptoms may include the following:
     • A tickling feeling or a sensation of something moving in the hair.
     • Irritability and sleeplessness.
     • Sores on the head caused by scratching, which can sometimes become infected with bacteria normally found on your skin.
   • Infestation with head lice is most common among preschool and elementary school age children and their household members and caretakers.
   • Head lice mainly spread by direct contact with the hair of a person who has lice. Head lice move by crawling; they cannot hop or fly. Although not as common, head lice may spread by:
     • Wearing clothing, such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, or hair accessories worn by a person with lice.
     • Using infested combs, brushes, or towels.
     • Lying on a bed, couch, pillow, carpet, or stuffed animal that has recently been in contact with a person with lice.
2. Notification and returning to school:
   • If you discover lice on your student, please notify the school. Immediate or long-term exclusion is no longer required. Students with live head lice can remain in class and go home at the end of the school day, be treated, and return to school after the appropriate treatment has begun. Students can return to school with nits following treatment. Nits may persist after the initial treatment, so students with nits should be allowed back in school the next day. Successful treatment should kill crawling lice.
   • Students must report to the health room prior to returning to class for a screening by district trained staff and/or nurse. A parent/guardian is encouraged to accompany their student for the screening to discuss the findings. If a parent/guardian is not able to attend the follow-up screening they will be provided the screening results and recommended next steps.
   • If your student has been identified with head lice during school, a parent/guardian will be notified.
3. Privacy considerations:
   • If three or more students in a class have lice, parents/guardians will be informed.
   • For one or two cases, a class-wide notice will not be sent to protect student privacy.
   • Any student lice check at school will not be done in the presence of other students or unnecessary staff.
4. Prevention strategies:
   • Teach your student to avoid head-to-head contact at school, during sports, on the playground and when playing with other children.
   • Teach your student not to share combs, brushes, towels, scarves, bandanas, barrettes, hats or clothing.
   • Keep children’s coats, hats and other belongings separate from other children’s items at school.
   • Check your student’s hair and scalp every few days if they have contact with someone who has lice.
   • If your student had contact with someone who has lice, wash and dry clothes and bedding in hot water and high heat. Items that can’t be washed should be sealed in a plastic bag for two weeks.
5. Identifying head lice:
   • Look for nits and live crawling lice. Nits are tiny white, yellow or gray specks that attach firmly to the hair close to the scalp. Live lice are hard to find because they move fast and avoid light.
     • Check your student’s hair and scalp in a well-lit room. A magnifying glass may help.
     • Look closely at the scalp around the ears, at the hair on the back of the neck and in the part line.
   • Screening tip: To distinguish between dandruff and nits, try to flick or pull off the white sac. Nits usually get stuck firmly on the hair shaft quite close to the scalp. They’re tiny, about the sizes of knots in pieces of thread. People may confuse them easily with dandruff, hair product droplets, dirt or sand. But unlike other debris, nits get stuck firmly on the hair shaft like head lice do and aren’t easy to pick out.
6. Treatment options:
   • Over-the-counter lice shampoos are available, and prescription options can be provided by your healthcare provider. Follow all instructions carefully, as multiple applications may be necessary.
   • Consider using a metal nit comb for effective removal or seek assistance from local lice removal clinics if needed.
7. Family Checks: If lice are found, it is encouraged that you check all family members daily for two weeks, treating only those with evidence of having lice.

For more information, please visit:

• Lice | Washington State Department of Health
• Head Lice | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics
• Head Lice Management in Schools - National Association of School Nurses
• American Academy of Dermatology -Head Lice Diagnosis and Treatment
• Seattle Children's Hospital - Head Lice

Thank you for your cooperation and support in keeping our school community healthy.