'Super Lice' Shouldn't Keep Students Out of School, Experts Say

Charlotte Moore, 2, of Crestwood, Mo., is screened by Libby Lutz at Lice Busters, a professional head lice removal company, last week in Richmond Heights, Mo. A new strain of lice resistant to most treatments is causing worries as kids return to school.

—Cristina M. Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/AP

Recent headlines about the discovery of head lice that are resistant to over-the-counter treatments have stirred up fears in many parents that the tedious task of ridding their children’s hair of the tiny pests may now be even more difficult.

Perhaps intensifying their concerns, many news media outlets have dubbed the new strain of insects “super lice,” conjuring up visions of biblical plagues.

At the same time, on the recommendations of organizations like the American Academy of Pedia..., many school districts have been abandoning their so-called “no-nit” policies in recent years, keeping children in class even if lice or their eggs, known as “nits,” are discovered in their hair and urging parents to treat them when they return home from school. Districts have also shifted away from mass screenings for lice, opting to educate parents on checking their children’s scalps instead.

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