To check DS's friends for nits when they come to his party?

[chicaguapa]

Obviously IABU. But DS has got bloody nits again after just FOUR days of being back at school. It has to be one of his friends as they all sit together on the same table for most of the day, plus play together at break/lunch.

I have mentioned it to the mums I know (in a "I'm completely exasperated" kind of way) as we all got an email about it and I just get crap responses saying 'DC never gets nits, poor you". Well someone else has them!

Anyway, he has a party this weekend and I want to sit there and go through all their hair to see who's got them. I'll at least be watching to see who's scratching as I'm beyond fed up.

[sharonthewaspandthewineywall]

Before you go in accusing everyone else are you 100% you have taken all measures to get rid of them? Wet combing every third day? Washing pillows hats brushes etc?

[KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes]

Sounds like quite the party!!

[Nishky]

Yes, could be you didn't get rid of them all, rather than re-infected.

[DragonsCanHop]

Washing hair brushes? Please don't tell me they can live in hairbrushes and be passed around the family that way?

[chicaguapa]

He hasn't them for weeks and got them within 4 days of being back at school. He's 100% not getting them from at home.

I don't wash pillows but change the pillow case and protector. Nor do I comb conditioner through his hair.

I follow the instructions on the lotion to the letter and we treat the whole family. Treat, comb with a Nitty Gritty comb, and then again 7 days later to kill the hatched lice before they're old enough to lay eggs. Then within days I check again and he has adult lice back in his hair.

[WorraLiberty]

How many lice did you find?

[Pico2]

It takes time for nits to reproduce to detectable levels. He can't have caught them 4 days ago.

[AChickenCalledKorma]

DD2 went through an episode like this. And when I sought advice on MN, everybody said "are you sure you are treating them properly", just like they have on this thread.

Guess what? They stopped the day she was separated from one of her best friends because they re-organised the classes. And later, DD2 admitted that she always knew she was picking them up from this friend ... because you could see them crawling in her hair .

So sometimes it's absolutely true that kids are constantly picking up new ones at school and it's blooming annoying for parents who are wasting spending hours trying to get rid of them and who are made out to be the incompetent ones. Grrr.

[FannyFifer]

You need to comb despite what the treatment says.
Nitty gritty comb is essential.

[Marmitelover55]

How many has he got? If lots then it does seem unlikely that he has caught them from someone else. I found Hedrin the most effective treatment combined with combing with the nitty gritty.

[OhWotIsItThisTime]

If look at his friends. Ds2 had a mate over. I know the boy's db always has lice, as his mum told me. I had a quick look (discreetly, I didn't rummage) and couldn't see anything, which was a relief. The friend has v short hair.

[reni2]

Stand at the door armed with swimming caps and put them on their heads as they enter.

[herethereandeverywhere]

Sympathies OP. I know what it's like to find fully grown adults in hair that was nit free just days earlier. I also know what it's like to have the 'we haven't had them yet' chat from people who then confess they don't even own a nit comb...

Watch for scratching, look at easy to spot places like partings make your son wear a hat for the entirety of the party

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Sometimes headline can become resistant to a particular treatment, which is why I used wet combing with conditioner most of the time, when mine were at that stage.

It is a really irritating and frustrating thing, but I can tell you it does end. As they get older, they seem not to pick them up so much - I suppose they don't put their heads together as much. By the time my dses were at senior school, we'd stopped getting nits.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Oops - I didn't proof read - headline should read headlice!

[HairySubject]

It's so frustrating, I am sick of doing DD and boil washing all the bedding.

[Haffdonga]

You wouldn't get nits (eggs) after 4 days.

[permalice]

It takes at least 6 days for a louse to hatch.

So showing after 4 days means the source of re-infestation is not the school.

Where was he in the 2-4 days before going back?

[Haffdonga]

I tackled it by telling everyone - oh I'm so sorry. I think my ds may have passed headlice onto your ds.

So I shoulder the blame but they go and sort their own dcs who were the carrier all along

[AuditAngel]

We gave been lucky so far with only 2 infestations, despite having 3 DC the oldest being 11 and youngest 5.

Have you tried using Vosene with its supposed nit repelling smell? We sometimes use the conditioning spray.

[munkisocks]

Sorry but I do think it UR to stand by door doing them as they enter!

"Come to my party! Cake, pass the parcel and nit treatment! "

Sorry my baby hasn't had nits yet, she's bald still! Fleas are my issue atm

[tabulahrasa]

So what, pass the parcel, musical statues and then find the nit?

Sounds great

[clippityclop]

I feel your pain. All clear here and then checked after a sleepover with a lovely friend from a different school and found adult nits, just like last time. Chemical wafare and a nitty gritty comb is the only answer. I'm now armed with the Hedrin repellent spray conditioner which I'll apply before they get together again.

[SoDiana]

Scratching here.
I have a dd with a massive mop of afro hair.
She got nits.
About three hours of torture later with the treatment in her hair and me combing she went to bed obviously after washing it out and hasn't gotten them since.
Tea tree oil is cheap and put a drop on the nape of the neck.
I still shudder at the memory