HOUSTON — Parents often complain that schools can be germ factories with kids catching all sorts of coughs and colds from their classmates.
But it used to be recommended that kids with certain contagions -- like lice -- should be kept home. That’s because lice is very good at spreading, especially when kids come in close contact.
Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is changing its recommendations for lice in school. The health officials now say students with head lice don’t need to be sent home from school. They should finish the day, go home, get a lice treatment, then return the next day. The CDC also recommended schools stop requiring kids to be free of lice eggs, also know as nits, before they can return to class.
So why the change? According to health experts, while lice may be gross in most cases it is not dangerous. That is because head lice do not spread diseases. Also, the CDC says students missing school because of lice can be a burden to kids and their families. Most cases of lice can be treated with an over-the-counter medicine, but you should alert anyone who may have come in contact with your child.