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For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

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For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Parenting

Lice dilemma WWYD?

39 replies

DevilwearsPrada · 01/05/2008 23:07

Dd1 (5) came home from school yesterday with a letter saying that a child in her class had lice. Could we check their hair and if they had it keep them off school until it clears. So I checked dd1's hair and of course she got a head full of eggs. As of yet unhatched. I kept her off school today and treated with lotion tonight. I'll be keeping her off until I'm sure the eggs are all dead (so possibly up to a week).

I've made arrangements with her best friend H's mum to go their house for lunch on bank holiday Monday. (Big thing for dd1 she's never been invited to a friend's before). But I don't want H to catch the lice so was going to phone and cancel. I've got a feeling she might say it's ok and come anyway, but I wouldn't be comfortable if he did get them. It would mean they'd have to keep him off school and I know it's really hard for her to find childcare when he's off.

Am I doing the right thing in cancelling?

OP posts:

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BreevandercampLGJ · 01/05/2008 23:09

Offer to cancel, if she insists then go ahead, can you help her out if the child has to stay off school ??

Tinker · 01/05/2008 23:19

YOu can't be expected to keep kids off school until the hair is clear, surely?

themildmanneredjanitor · 01/05/2008 23:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

themildmanneredjanitor · 01/05/2008 23:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SlightlyMadSweet · 01/05/2008 23:25

Right.

The lotion won't treat the eggs. You have to wait until they hatch.

Go to Boots. Buy a nitty gritty comb. Comb tomorrow after school THOUROUGHLY. Rinse your comb in a pint glass of water. Estimate the number of eggs.

(Ideally Comb Saturday. Same thing. You should see a lot less eggs.)

If you also comb on Sunday. If you are thorough enough you will get a small handful/no eggs out.

Go on Monday and enjoy yourself. If you get the eggs out, there will be no crawlers to pass on. You cannot pass the eggs.

Comb every 4 das until 2 weeks have passed.

I have successfully treated a major egg infestation with Nitty Gritty with just 2 days of combing (as in I got nothing for the remainder of the 2 weeks).

Tinker · 01/05/2008 23:26

The lotion won't work. And even combing is only about 60% successful, apparently. What I have tried using (and found it cheap in Quality Save/Home Bargains) is coconut oil. There was a link on a thread on here once where it showed this seemed to be the most successful treatment. And, it does seem to be helping here. My daughter would only be school for about 50% of the year if we had to keep her off each time she had nits and lice.

SlightlyMadSweet · 01/05/2008 23:27

Nitty gritty is miles better than bug buster IMO. It is supposed to destroy 100% of eggs it contacts even if they don't come out. Bug buster relies on them being combed out.

themildmanneredjanitor · 01/05/2008 23:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DevilwearsPrada · 01/05/2008 23:36

Oh I did do the combing, the lotion came with one. Will be doing it everyday. It does seem a bit excessive to keep them off til their clear. I'm hoping they won't hatch ans dhe'll be able to in on Tuesday.

OP posts:

DevilwearsPrada · 01/05/2008 23:37

and she'll

OP posts:

SlightlyMadSweet · 01/05/2008 23:41

Honestlty buy yourself a Nitty Gritty comb.

It is fantastic.

The comb with the lotion won't catch hte eggs. It will be a lice comb.

The bug buster nit comb is supposed to get the eggs - but I find the nitty gritty more effective personally. I did have a different nit comb for awhile but that didn't even catch the lice.

You need a comb which will get out the eggs before they hatch. Getting out hte eggs is socially better as you don't spread the lice. It also means you don't have to sit and watch her itch between combings/lotion.

pofaced · 01/05/2008 23:41

IME use the lotion and then comb like crazy with loads of conditioner for 2 weeks... if the eggs haven't been killed by lotion, the conditioner immobilises while you comb them out. Allow 20 mins for combing hair while child sits patiently in bath.... it's the only time we have lollipops in our house

SlightlyMadSweet · 01/05/2008 23:42

BTW with the lotion the eggs WILL hatch.

The lotion will only kill/soffocate hte crawlers which is why you have to retreat.

AFAIK there are no chemical treatments/lotions/potions to deal with them before they hatch.

expatinscotland · 01/05/2008 23:42

is the nitty gritty okay for long hair, too?

dd1 hasn't started school yet, but we'll definitely be investing in a comb!

SlightlyMadSweet · 01/05/2008 23:45

It is. It has long prongs which makes it much better than the plastic combs. My DTDs have think waist length hair and it is much better than the other combs we have had.

BUT its teeth have a spiral groove. I do question how much it damages the hair shaft. TBH I have 2 long haired 7yos, so I don't care about that. It is the most effective thing I have found and I am not going back.

expatinscotland · 01/05/2008 23:46

i plan to start the school year with one of these combs, Nitty Gritty repellant and Biz Niz conditioner thingie for when the inevitable happens.

her hair is bonnie. no way i'm cuttin' it!

yurt1 · 01/05/2008 23:46

nitty gritty the best. With lots of slimy conditioner.

You don't need to keep off school you just need to comb thoroughly every night until they're gone.

expatinscotland · 01/05/2008 23:47

does it need to be tea tree conditioner?

or will any cheapo, silicone-filled crap do?

SlightlyMadSweet · 01/05/2008 23:47

here is hte Nitty Gritty blurb.

I know it is sales and marketing - but I believe every word about the comb.

I don't use hte potions though.

Tinker · 01/05/2008 23:47

Here's a study advocating Hedrin or Full Marks over bug busting

I've had a Nitty Gritty comb for a few years; I find it satisfying rather than more effective.

SlightlyMadSweet · 01/05/2008 23:49

Nope.

Any cheapo conditioner. Although I use DOve as that is ht eonly one that effectively conditions DTDs hair. I go though bottles of hte stuff.

Tea tree is reported to be a repellent. Not 100% effective but can be used to help prevent lice - but don't rely on it.

expatinscotland · 01/05/2008 23:51

devil, i hope these critters don't ruin your holiday weekend!

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yurt1 · 01/05/2008 23:53

I use cheapo conditioner. Used to use tea tree- made no difference.

expatinscotland · 01/05/2008 23:54

(adds Cheapo Conditioner from Semi-Chem to DD1's Going to School list)

SlightlyMadSweet · 02/05/2008 00:00

Tinker - I challenge that link.

That paper does not compare Hererin or Full Marks toBug busting.

It looks at 2 chemical/smothing agents.

It refers to another study which suggested low cure rates with bug busting.

The biggest cited problem with bug busting is compliance. And IMO if you follow the bug busting protocol which treats the lice initially and then empty egg sacs it does take longer than the prescribed 2 weeks.

As I say I have proved that I can clear with a Nitty gritty with 2 combing sessions (2-3days apart) on more than 1 occasion.

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