Nits or Dandruff

[Debbiethemum]

DS & DD got sent home early from the childminder today with suspected nits. I have gone through both their heads and all I can see is what I think are flakes of skin, that to me look like the flakes of skin you normally get as cradle cap.
I have never seen or had to deal with nits before so not sure what I am looking for, however I have not found any insects the size of matchstick heads. Only what the childminder called eggs.
Can you get the eggs with no lice to lay them?
Can you mistake the two?
Please some advice.

Thanks

[charliecat]

Have you a nit comb? These eggs are they attached to the hair? Nit eggs are attached to an individual hair and do not brush off. you have to pull them down the shaft of the hair.

[flamesparrow]

Are the white things loose in the hair, or attached to the strands so you have to really grab at them to get them out?

[happymerryberries]

Stuck to hair = nits

[flamesparrow]

Our recent experience with nits has made my DD (2)very thorough. She sat there this morning combing her hair with a nit comb, and wiping it on a tissue to check for anything!

In smoe ways I thought ewwwwwwwww, but in others, it shows that she's paid attention!

[tissy]

nope, eggs need to be laid by a live louse. Only mature lice can jump heads.

Eggs are samll and white and tend to be stuck fast down near the skin. You'll be lucky to get them out with a comb. I would wet-comb (with LOADS of conditioner and a really good nit comb) every other day for the next 10 days or so to be absolutely sure you haven't got any lice. The idea is to pick off the lice before they are mature enough to lay any more eggs.

Did the childminder say she had seen lice, or has another kid definitely got them?

I recommend the Nitty Gritty comb for getting them out- it's the best by far!

[tissy]

Nitty Gritty

I'm not on commission, honestly!

[flamesparrow]

I used this comb and it is great - gets out everything in sight.

[flamesparrow]

Lol - same comb, different site!!! Mine's cheaper

[gigglinggoblin]

i got a bug buster kit today (free on prescription from health visitor - is combs and advice on what to do basically). it says that detecting lice in dry hair is really hard because they move so fast away from disruption. if you get them soaking wet they cant move, so is easier to check whilst washing hair. get a prescription is my advice, you will almost certainly need it several times in the future!

[Surfermum]

Another vote for the nitty gritty comb. You can get them free on prescription.

[flamesparrow]

You got one free on prescription? Only the basic little straight ones for me

[flamesparrow]

Anyone else itching now???

[Surfermum]

No, I didn't I'd already bought one for me and one for my step-d's mum when I found out . Still it's worth every penny.

[Debbiethemum]

Thanks for all the replies - & so quickly
I treated ds as the eggs were seen on him (only 3 eggs as I learnt this evening) and then wet combed. DD I only wet combed after shampooing. What I saw on both of them looked to be attached to the scalp rather than the hair, except a few which may have flaked off. It came off reasonably easily with the nit comb, but was light brown in colour and it was flakes rather than round or egg shaped.

Nobody has seen any lice just seen eggs (or what may be dandruff).

I will carry on wet combing, but I think it may be dandruff. Could I be right?

[waterfalls]

You can get the nitty gritty free on prescription? I wish I knew that I spent £10 on one last week.

[frannyf]

Debbie, I am not sure what you mean by 'treated', but if you mean you used a chemical nit shampoo, these should only be used if you find live lice on the person's head (and some people feel wet combing is a better method anyway as it avoids the need for chemicals). I know this is not much help now, but may be useful for you in the future.

I hope you have got them all out. I have found eggs but no lice on a child's head before and removed them, only to find other members of the family with lice a few weeks later I think it is possible for them to walk on, lay a few eggs and walk off onto someone else's head so it is worth combing the whole family, inc you and dh, once or twice a week until you are quite sure everybody is all clear. Good luck and hope the problem is solved now!

[frannyf]

And here is a great site with advice and pictures of what you should be looking for.

Please don't ask why I know so much about headlice (I was a nanny for 10 years before becoming a mum).