Head Lice and Back to School: What to Know

Lice Cases Spike During Back-To-School Season

Omaha-area parents have enough to worry about this year without needing to think about the exposure of their kids to lice. The awkward reality is that many children will experience close physical interactions in school. 

The primary cause of lice case spikes during back-to-school season is due to children being in close proximity with each other. According to John Hopkins pediatrician and head lice expert, Bernard Cohen “(this time of year) the incidents do clearly go up” (USAtoday.com). 

How Can You Reduce the Likeliness of Your Child Getting Lice at School? 

Contrary to popular belief, lice do not jump from head-to-head, and rather crawl from scalp to scalp. Lice are transmitted through head-to-head contact, and as the children are filling the classrooms, the lice typically follow. This is why we often see lice cases spike towards the time students are going back to school. Parents should remind their children to be aware of their proximity towards others and avoid this close head-to-head contact when possible. School districts recognize the impact these pests can cause. 

Some school districts even implement no-nit policies that bar students from school if they have baby shells of lice called nits in their hair. Experts say these are well meaning policies but do little to combat the issue of active lice. Lice can be an embarrassing issue for children, but the specialists at Lice Clinics of America in Omaha offer several procedures to effectively treat Omaha-area cases. 

What To Do If Your Child Gets Lice?

Lice Clinics of America in Omaha begin with our screening process, in which clinicians thoroughly inspect the hair and scalp of the patient. If an active case of head lice is found and a treatment plan is chosen, the initial screening fee is waived. Our treatment plans feature the signature Airallé® treatment, which is a 3-step method that ensures the patient will leave lice-free with no follow-up needed. This treatment is not recommended for children under a specific age, but in these cases, a strand-by-strand comb-out method is utilized with non-toxic products. These methods ensure that all patients and parents leave feeling comfortable and safe. After all, don’t parents have enough to worry about this school year? 

Instead of an ill-timed haircut, let the experts find the right solution for you at the Lice Clinics of America in Omaha.