WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Head lice — a common problem among school-age children — is something all parents dread.
Registered nurse Deanna Dickerson, owner of The Lice Place, encounters many families seeking relief from the persistent pests.
“Those bugs only have to mate one time, and they lay three to 10 eggs a day,” Dickerson said.
Between 6 to 12 million head lice infestations occur each year in the United States, primarily affecting children ages 3 to 11, according to the Tennessee Department of Health. Dickerson notes that young girls tend to experience the most severe cases, often because of close contact activities.
“They do a lot of selfies. They do a lot of hugging,” she said. “They’re on cheerleading teams and sports teams, so a lot of hurdles in general.”
To manage the spread of lice, school districts have implemented policies. The Williamson County School Board is currently reviewing its own head lice policy, considering a change that aligns with recommendations from the Tennessee Department of Health.
The current policy requires students with live lice to be picked up immediately and to return only after providing proof of treatment. Under the proposed policy, students would be allowed to remain in school until the end of the day and could return after treatment with proof, or following an examination by the school nurse.
Dickerson supports the shift, suggesting that schools are looking to keep children in school.
“Once a child is diagnosed, they probably had it for a while, and anybody in their circle who was going to be exposed has probably been exposed,” she said.
The Williamson County School Board will hold a work session to discuss the policy change, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for Monday.
More information on how to get rid of head lice is here.
More information on the services Dickerson offers is here.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at aaron.cantrell@newschannel5.com
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