Four words that parents in the classroom group chat dread to read: ‘My kid has lice.’
Head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) are parasites that primarily infest children in childcare, preschool or elementary school. Having lice doesn’t indicate poor hygiene, despite a longstanding misconception driven by stigma, and lice don’t spread other diseases. But children with lice are often shamed and unnecessarily excluded from attending school.
