Nit-picking

A new guideline published recently by the AAP suggests that kids should not be excluded from school simply because of nits. The consensus is that by excluding children from school, we are doing more harm to them than good. Nits (lice eggs) are "stuck" to a child's hair and, by their nature, are unable to move from child-to-child. Additionally, previous studies have shown that checking an entire school for lice is not terribly effective in controlling an outbreak. It does make sense to check children after a sleep over or summer camp, or something similar. As far as excluding an affected child from school, we'll have to see what happens with local policy. Treating head lice with OTC remedies (such as Nix or Rid) is usually quite effective, though sometimes there is resistance and a prescription strength medication is necessary. Additionally, many head lice treatments contain pesticides, and if you are concerned about this, there are other more natural type remedies available in the local health stores.