Fall and winter are prime seasons for head lice

Head lice is a universal problem that is particularly prevalent among elementary school-age children.

What are symptoms of head lice?

Itching is the most common symptom of head lice.

How do lice spread?

Lice are spread by direct person-to-person contact. They may also be spread by sharing personal items with an infected person, such as combs/brushes, clothing, bedding and headphones. Lice do not jump or hop, and they do not spread to or from pets.

Is there a way to avoid head lice?

Avoid sharing personal items such as combs/brushes, clothing, bedding and headphones. If one member of the family has lice, all family members should be checked.

What happens when a FHSD student has lice?

There have been some questions recently regarding the Forest Hills School District policy regarding head lice. HIPAA and FERPA laws require that FHSD protect the privacy of students. Head lice do not cause disease and therefore, are not considered a health hazard. For these reasons, if a student is found to have lice, or if a parent reports they have used a treatment product on their student to get rid of lice, a mass notification will not be sent to the school or the grade level families. 

For more information on district policy regarding head lice, click here. The district’s administrative guidelines regarding head lice can be found here.

To learn more about head lice, visit Hamilton County Public Health.