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Head lice - Management
Basis for recommendation

The recommendation that children with head lice should continue to attend school is based on expert opinion [HPA, 2008; PHMEG, 2008].

  • Children discovered to have head lice will generally have had them for several weeks (many people have head lice without itch), so keeping children away from school is unlikely to reduce transmission.
  • Letters notifying other parents of cases have not been found to prevent the spread of head lice, but can provoke anxiety and itching.

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