i knew its been done but would like a LIVE conv. about NITS...please!

[wideratthehips]

i could search old threads, but its nice to ask people out there

there was a sign up today in ds reception class about a case of nits in class.

this is my first time so no idea what to do....

lots of furious hair brushing?

do we all (4.5yr old, 22mth old and m+d) use the vosene nit shampoo i've bought and a lavander leave in spray?

ds2 is a bit young isn't he to use stuff on?

am i okay to use essential oil based products whilst pregnant?

very greatful to you all for any replies!

[dustystar]

I have found wet combing with a nittygritty comb to be the best way of getting rid of them.

[wideratthehips]

another reason i'm asking is because they are going to have a bath at six..should they be having seperate ones and should i be treating them?

[dustystar]

Only treat them with lotions if they actaully have lice. Check their hair thoroughly and you will soon see if they have them. I used to treat my two together in the bath.

[tinseltwiddler]

you could always sell them?

[TheMuppetsChristmasMuggle]

My DD has just had these. we found Hedrin worked okay, and every other day we wash her hair in tea tree oil shampoo and conditioner, and then going through with the nitty comb. seems to have worked.

[mazzystartled]

only treat when see the little buggers
worth conditioning and wet combing anyhow
tea tree oil v good if don't fancy chemicals
tisserand do a good anti nit conditioner

[gemmiereindeerlegs]

i second that you shouldn't use the treatment unbless you see lice. Just check both dcs very carefully, we had them a few weeks ago and I treated me and dd with hedrin but very important to comb them with the nit comb every couple of days to check, this weeds out newly hatched lice before they are big enough to lay more eggs.

But just cos there is a lice outbreak at your school doesn't mean your dd has actually got them. We have had maybe a dozen letters since ds started school but only had nits once.

[peanutbutterkid]

You can skip the treatment lotions completely if you want.

How I lice-hunt is:
Wash hair well.
Apply some conditioner.
Comb thru with a fine nit comb (any brand will do the job ime).
Hold the comb up to the light and look for tiny brown specs. If they are headlice, they will wiggle (you can see the legs wiggling), you may have to separate the brown spec from the comb and look at it on your finger tip to be sure. Until you have find one, you won't understand what they looks like.

If you find any, then hunt for more until you're fed up. Put found ones on tissue or rinse off in the sink. Repeat this procedure for 3 nights in a row, then repeat every other 2-3 nights for at least 2 weeks, to catch all the little nightmares.

[peanutbutterkid]

ps: kids with short hair catch them less, h-lice crawl from hair on one head to hair on the next head, but not until they are quite mature (several weeks old). Another reason to buzz boys' heads.

[wideratthehips]

thanks everyone.....cause its the first time i've come across the situation i didn't know what to do

when i said treat i ment with the tea tree repellent shampoo i have. i ve given them a good scrubbing and put some leave in tea tree spary in the older ones hair.

i don't have the major heebies about them and know they've got to get the buggers at some point but this close to christmas and going to various people over christmas i don't thi nk i can face it........and i'm always the bad one who has to administer things to the kids.

[VirginBoffinMum]

I do what peanutbutterkid does, and it really works, even better than chemicals. You get used to nits over time - last Xmas one of the kids got a microscope and we put a couple of nits under there, and watched them squirm to death on the glass slide (haha! revenge!!) Revolting but strangely fascinating.

Short hair for boys and tied back hair for girls is very helpful in minimising the nit events in the household, as is doing a routine nit combing session every Sunday evening at bathtime (they take 10 days to really get established).

[VirginBoffinMum]

PS I never ever travel without a nit comb. The ones you buy abroad are crap and sometimes even black, which means you can't see whether there are any there! Also it is very hard asking for nit combs in Turkish or whatever. I also travel with threadworm tablets for that reason.

[kiddiz]

Other people have scented candles on the side of their bath....I have teatree conditioner and a nit comb

[MincePirateCat]

tea tree nit shampoo, wash twice, whislt dd in bath. apply tea tree conditioner and I comb thru with just anormal comb.
rinse. get dd out of bath. let water out.

peer at bottom of bath to see it we have 'got' any out. as they always stick to it. rinse them away.

comb dd's hair thru whilst checking for the eggs/nit, and then i remove them with my nails into a tissue.

I prob wouldn't need to do the picking out with nails bit if I invested in a nit comb. But i am really thorough. Do this every 2 nights for about 2 weeks.

[southeastastra]

nitty gritty comb is better than anything chemically i've found. and it's fun to use