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Original poster

How do we have nits?!

20 replies

Paperyfish · 19/05/2020 13:48

My dd8 has been scratching away at her head so I gave her a quick check and found a couple of nits. We’ve been social distancing since the schools shut. We’ve been out, but at a safe distance from everyone. She hasn’t had the opportunity to put her head next to anyone’s for weeks and weeks. They definitely weren’t there when she left school and my son 6 doesn’t seem to have any. However, he detests having his hair washed so during lockdown it’s been a fortnightly chore instead of weekly, so maybe they just don’t fancy his grubby hair! I don’t think I have them- but seeing hers makes me feel all scratchy. How on earth can I examine my self for nits? ( only adult here) Surely if I asked any one else they’d have to get much closer than 2m? Am going to go to chemists ASAP. Where the hell did she get them?

OP posts:
saffy1234 · 19/05/2020 13:52

It could be me posting this my DD4 had them last week?!?
I'm still baffled!

endofthelinefinally · 19/05/2020 13:56

I don't know how they have got them, but in terms of checking yourself, buy a nit comb and a big bottle of cheap conditioner.
Soak your hair, apply lots of conditioner, comb through while bending over sink.
You will see them.

Kelsoooo · 19/05/2020 13:58

I could have posted the same thing about my DDs. Our only theory is magic.

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QuentinWinters · 19/05/2020 13:59

My DS too. Baffled

MrsSlocombesPussy · 19/05/2020 14:02

We found a massive infestation on my Dd, 6 weeks into lockdown. I think by the time we found them they were probably on their 4th generation!

beela · 19/05/2020 14:03

Urgh, and my dd(6). She has not been near anyone for 8 weeks! And they were not there before, I definitely checked Angry

Glad to find it's not just us though.

Nitty little bastards.

beela · 19/05/2020 14:04

The nits, not the children! Blush

tillytoodles1 · 19/05/2020 14:12

Nits are the eggs, when they hatch they're called lice.

SpottyBrolly · 19/05/2020 14:12

Head lice are prolific breeders. She could have had 1-2 on her head just before lock down, which are easily missed with combing or if could have had their legs get damaged by your Daughert in normal scratching of her head. It then takes another week or so before the eggs start to hatch and a extra 2 weeks for them to mature, so unless you checked again 2-3 weeks later which why would you there been plenty time for the buggers to build an empire.

LynetteScavo · 19/05/2020 14:19

Well, a louse could have jumped on, laid eggs and jumped off, so it's only now you're noticing the lice.

The one time DD had nits there was no lice to be found. I can only guess it had crawled, on and laid eggs then crawled off again.

I had wondered if lockdown might be an end to nits...it seems not!

NoMorePoliticsPlease · 19/05/2020 14:21

Lice dont jump they run. A minor infection started before lockdown and is now getting going.

Zaphodsotherhead · 19/05/2020 14:28

could have had their legs get damaged by your Daughert in normal scratching of her head

Am I alone in imagining lice dragging themselves along, aided only by some tiny little crutches?

Original poster
Paperyfish · 19/05/2020 14:35

Well, we now have nit lotion, a very serious looking comb and all the bedding on a hot wash. Hopefully that’ll kill them off!

OP posts:
palindromeam · 19/05/2020 14:45

Make sure you do it again in 7 days. It has sometimes taken us a few rounds to finally get rid. DD has lots of very fine, blonde hair and I really struggle to find the buggers sometimes. Her class has had them like a merry-go-round for about a year. I'm hoping that lockdown finally stops it.

I was wondering with a friend, if all nits in the land would disappear due to lock down.

beela · 19/05/2020 15:51

I was wondering with a friend, if all nits in the land would disappear due to lock down.

Me too! But if they can go under the radar for so long then perhaps not.

LynetteScavo · 20/05/2020 10:12

OP, sit you child in the sunshine when you comb so you can see any nits or lice and pick out by hand any nits you see.

I found doing that combined with Hedrin always really effective.

And do lice run or crawl? Yes, I do know they don't jump.

AtaMarie · 20/05/2020 10:17

They run, @LynetteScavo, unless they have crutches in which case they hobble.

We are nit free but I have heard from a couple of friends who are dealing with them. I am hoping they die off - like the common cold this year!

SunbathingDragon · 20/05/2020 10:19

They are so resilient. She probably had just one or two when schools closed and now loads.

newtb · 20/05/2020 10:24

After trying loads of lotions, special anti-nit shampoo we found that the best anti-nit shampoo was head and shoulders. There's something in it that nukes them.

Aclh13 · 20/05/2020 10:36

They are hard to find in darker hair til they are huge. Just potentially be in for a rough ride as some can seem to keep returning for years.

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