Health Services - Head Lice
Background of Lice Plan
In 2001 the Cedar Rapids Community School District (CRCSD) formed a task force to review and revise the lice management program for the district. At that time the practice was a no-nits policy meaning students with live lice or nits were excluded. The task force revised the policy so that only those students who had live lice present were excluded from school until they had received treatment.
The task force reconvened in January 2005 to again examine the exclusion policy. The purpose was to review the policy in light of current recommendations of professional health organizations and to improve continuity regarding lice management practices throughout the district. Practice regarding the exclusion of students based on the current CRCSD policy had become inconsistent. A major concern was the increase in absenteeism that exclusion creates.
The recommendations of many health organizations mimic the following policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): “No healthy child should be excluded from or allowed to miss school time because of head lice”. These organizations include The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), The National Association of School Nurses (NASN), the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), and the Linn County Department of Public Health.
Based on a review of the current medical literature and recommendations of the aforementioned health care organizations, the task force revised the CRCSD Lice Management Plan, recommended elimination of the practice of student exclusion for live lice. The overall management plan continues to promote and support family, community and school district participation in the control of lice infestations.