Head lice is an ongoing problem for children and parents throughout the U.S., but of particular concern is the impact on public education. The prevalence of head lice in public schools is an increasingly difficult challenge for students, parents, and school officials alike. The vast majority of school systems in the U.S. require students be kept out of school until they are “nit-free” (free of head lice), so hundreds of thousands of children miss school, their parents and school nurses struggle to address the problem, and school systems lose revenue. It is estimated that school systems lose over $500 million a year due to head lice-related absences. Therefore, our goals are to :
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Help students by reducing the average length of student absenteeism due to head lice from four days to one or even zero
- Help parents by eliminating the need for them to stay home from work to care for and treat a child diagnosed with head lice
- Help school nurses by working closely with them to effectively and efficiently screen and treat students
- Help school districts by reducing the amount of lost revenue due to head lice-related school absences
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