Head lice, would you send a child home?

My DS2 has collar-length hair and we religiously wet-comb twice-weekly (he is 8 now and we've not had infestation for a few years; DS1 prefers his hair v short which is great because the lice HATE short hair)

I don't want DS to have to have short hair :(

Thanks for the warning, though, BALD :) I'll make sure to start putting tea tree oil on his scalp and other lice deterring stuff...

um Star I hate to tell you this but HL are RIFE in early years; it tends to tail off once you get to juniors (yr 3 and upwards)

[hug]

Wet combing with conditioner is the best preventative. Or a Number three buzz cut

oh goodness. I'd hope my cm would send home a child with headlice, including my own. Anything to prevent them from spreading. I would also feel so awful if my cm had to sit there and de-nit my ds' hair and as I see that as far, far above and beyond the call of duty!

Btw, just how common is it that children get nits? I'm a teacher and only had one child in 10 years who had them a lot but was kept home until treated. Maybe others had it and I didn't know? What I really want to know is, how likely is it that my ds is going to get them.

If schools did the send the child home and not welcome them back till they are clear then their would be less if a nit problem

in the olden days (when I went to school) we had a nit nurse and if found then the child went home as not allowed at school then the parents would do something about the problem.

Nowdays it seems they can't be bothered and many a time my dc have come home with nits/I've got rid if them due to combing etc by Friday and clear at weekend. They go back to school on Monday and come home with them again

I can understand why a cm would want to send home but looneys policys sound fair

Agree with others. This is in my policies and procedures about Headlice:

Head Lice Policy

Head Lice can affect people from any socio-economic background and ethnicity and do not imply a lack of hygiene or cleanliness of the infested person. In order to try and prevent other children becoming infected, I have put together the following procedure. I hope that as Parents you too will work with me to prevent and treat the spread of head lice.

? No Child will be excluded from my care because they have head lice and I ask that all children and parents are sensitive and understanding towards the child. It is not their fault they have head lice

? Request that all children with long hair wear their hair up to prevent the spread of Head Lice

? Request that parents check their children?s hair once a week with a special head lice comb to aid early detection

? Request that parents inform me immediately if they have discovered that their child has head lice

? I will provide information on the effective treatment and detection of Head Lice, via my portfolio
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? I will inform all parents using my service if a child has head lice but I will not say who, to respect confidentiality

? I am happy to support parents with the manual removal of head lice using a special comb, please discuss this with me

? I will assist in the prevention of Head Lice by ensuring the children only use their own hairbrushes and combs and that the play dressing up hats are regularly cleaned

I'm a childminder. I would de-nit them myself and then tell the parent at pick up time BUT I would make it clear that they must continue to do it and that I don't see it as part of my job

Not a childminder, no. I'd probably de-nit them myself if it were me. I do wish school would send children with nits home though