Health Department Regulations for Head Lice

Health department regulations on head lice (or pediculosis) and managing the risks associated with lice vary from state to state in the United States. Head lice--parasitic insects that can reside in human hair and live off human blood--are spread via close physical contact and are easily eradicated via specially formulated shampoos and medications. Because head lice are not known to spread diseases and cannot hop or fly, regulations on head lice are fairly mild in the U.S.

Reporting Head Lice

• According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most states do not require cases of head lice to be reported. It is advisable to report lice--especially in a school situation--to prevent the spread of lice.

Lice at School

• While in the past, there have been policies requiring students to be screened for lice in public schools, today, most states allow children to return to school with lice. The "No Child Left Behind" mandate under President George W. Bush ended school policies on excluding children with lice from attending class. In the past, in many school districts, children were required to produce a letter from a healthcare provider proving they were nit-free.

  The Vermont Department of Health says that studies show that kids in schools are unlikely to spread lice to others. However, in other countries, like Australia, head lice can still be a reason for a child to be sent home from school.

Lice at Hair Salons

• As of 2010, there were no no health department regulations barring hairdressers from cutting the hair of a person with lice. However, most salons do have regulations preventing a hairdresser with lice from cutting hair.