September 6, 2017 - Amarillo ISD will now notify the parents of students in an affected grade level when a classmate has head lice. A new Texas law, Senate Bill 1566, requires schools to notify parents within five days when an occurrence of head lice is discovered. In compliance with federal law regarding confidentiality of student medical information, this notice will not identify the child with head lice.
The law also requires schools to send written or electronic notification to parents of students found to have head lice within 48 hours of that finding.
In addition to sending notifications to parents, AISD school nurses will provide guidance for students and parents in the event of an occurrence of head lice, explained AISD Student Health Services Program Director Patricia Miranda. “We have a very supportive nursing staff at our schools. School nurses are there to provide support for the students and their parents by educating them about head lice and how to treat it when discovered.”
When an AISD student is found to have head lice, the school’s nurse will send the appropriate notification letter that will also include the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the treatment and prevention of head lice. According to the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics, children diagnosed with head lice do not need to be sent home early from school. They can be treated that evening and return to class the following day.
Through a grant from the Amarillo Education Foundation, AISD school nurses can provide head lice treatment products or vouchers for these products to parents of students found to have head lice at school.
According to the CDC, head lice is not a disease or public health hazard and has nothing to do with hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school. It is very common among children and is spread through head-to-head contact during play, sports, or nap time, or when children share items like combs, hats, brushes, and headphones. Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about ways to prevent the spread of head lice.
More information on head lice treatment can be obtained from the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/treatment.html or the AISD website at www.amaisd.org/departments/student_health_services.
Additional settings for Safari Browser.
