Health experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) say children shouldn’t be sent home from school if they have head lice.
The Illinois-based Pediatrician Association published a clinical report on Monday, Sept. 26. This says that lice are not a “health hazard” because they are not associated with disease and have a low infection rate.
“There is a significant stigma in high-income countries due to the prevalence of head lice, with children and adolescents being expelled from school, friends and other social events as a result,” said the AAP report. “Head lice can cause psychological stress to affected individuals.”
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The AAP recommends opposing “no knit” policies that prohibit students from attending school while infested with lice.
The association warned that such policies have not been proven to be effective and could violate the civil liberties of students, thus exposing schools to legal risks.
According to the AAP, caregivers and health professionals should instead focus on providing lice education and treatment.
Treatment options include pediculicides approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This includes permethrin 1% lotion, pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide shampoo, ivermectin 0.5% lotion or ivermectin 3 mg tablet, malathion 0.5% lotion, spinosad 0.9%. suspension.
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Alternative treatments recommended by the AAP include botanicals, occlusive agents, desiccants, and manual removal to kill or repel lice.
– Herbal agents for killing or repelling lice: Various essential oils such as Ageratum, Aloysia, Aniba, Annona, Cananga [ylang ylang]Cinnamom, Cocos, Turmeric, Eletaria, Eucalyptus, Eugenia, Geranium, Helianthus, Juniperus, Lavender, Lippia, Litza, Melaleuca, Melia, Mentha, Monarda, Milkianthes, Origanum, Pimpinella, Rosmarinus, Salvia, Schinus, Tagetes, Tea Tree , Zingiberaceae or Citronella
– Occluder: Home remedies made with petroleum jelly, mayonnaise, melted butter or margarine, olive oil, dimethicone or facial cleanser
– desiccant: Natrum muriaticum, isopropyl myristate, or AirAllé device
– Manual deletion: physical and electronic knitting combs, vinegar-based products, or razors
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According to the AAP report, caregivers and school personnel without medical experience should contact a health professional if a single or community-wide louse infestation shows resistance to over-the-counter treatments.
The AAP also pointed out that lice cannot jump or bounce, they can only move by crawling.
Head-to-head contact is the most common method of transmission, but it can also be transmitted indirectly by someone coming into contact with personal items shared with an infested person, such as combs, brushes, hats, and sports helmets. infection may spread.
According to the AAP, these indirect methods of transmission are “far less likely to occur.”
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“Lice found in combs are likely injured or dead, and lice rarely leave a healthy head unless there is a serious infestation,” the AAP wrote in its latest report.
“In one study, live lice were found on just 4% of pillowcases used by infected people,” continued the AAP. “Thus, the main focus of control activities is to reduce the number of head lice in individuals and reduce the risk of head-to-head contact.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) agrees with the AAP’s stance on head lice in schools.
The National Health Agency acknowledges that lice can be “nuisances” on its “Head Lice Information for Schools” webpage, but the CDC has shown that these parasites spread disease. and is not an indicator of disease. Personal unsanitary or cleanliness.
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“Students diagnosed with live head lice do not need to be sent home early from school. “Lice can persist after treatment, but successful treatment can kill crawling lice,” writes the CDC.