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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Nits AGAIN! Ask school to pin point the children and speak directly to their parents

66 replies

pingu2209 · 26/04/2012 22:50

I have spent ages gettng rid of the nits my children came home from school with. Okay this is just the way it goes - children get nits. But it keeps happening.

We are now on our fourth bout! Each time I do 1 night of hedrin and combing and then another 7 days later. This gets rid of the nits in our house.

The cost of hedrin is huge!

Should I ask the teacher to speak to the parents of children they know have nits? It isn't fair as the class keeps getting them.

OP posts:

aquashiv · 26/04/2012 23:55

YABU
....just use hairspray and keep their hair tied up ... two years at school mine never get nits.
I saw a child itch their backside the other day should I be calling for her Mother to deal with the worms they are far worse IMO?

aquashiv · 26/04/2012 23:56

I say never thats a bloody lie they did but only when himself forgot to tie up and spary with silvikrin.

Chilenachica · 27/04/2012 00:08

As has been said already, you just gotta comb their hair through more often. Honestly though, washing their hair poolside and not wanting to whip out a nit comb doesn't actually sound like trying very hard to get rid of the problem.

Last year my 2DDs kept getting them. After combing 4times a week, twice for each DD for three fecking months I realised that the best mate's mum wasn't combing her kids hair, just applying the chemical and relying on that. After she stayed over I found them on DD1's mattress. Have you checked ALL your DC's head gear, hats, scarves, hair brushes and combs, dressing up stuff, teddies, the little beasts can live on most surfaces until they find a nice warm head to move to.

The way I see it, either you spend the hours combing and picking them out, or you just accept that the DCs have head lice.

Of course here in South America they don't do politically correct, so when it came time for the school trip -at the end of the year-they sent a note out saying the nurse is checking for lice and if your kid as them they can't go on the trip. It took that to get the school clear of lice, almost the whole academic year

Changethatbulb · 27/04/2012 08:32

Tea Tree Shampoo and Conditioner by Alberto Balsam. Cheap as chips from Asda or Home Bargains.

My continually infested children have never had nits since I started using this 18 months ago.

Nitty Gritty combs are shit. Especially on long hair. It really is a matter of slathering conditioner on and giving it a thorough comb through with a white nit comb.

Groovee · 27/04/2012 08:40

Lice have a 3 week life cycle from laying eggs to hatching, so you need to do their hair more frequently with the combing. I made it part of the bedroom routine until I was satisfied that we were clean.

valiumredhead · 27/04/2012 08:41

If they were crawling with nits then it sounds like they weren't properly clear in the first place.

seeker · 27/04/2012 08:47

And it's an urban myth that teachers aren't allowed to have a quiet word with parents.

And if your child is crawling with nits so soon you didn't get rid of them as well as you though you did.

r3dh3d · 27/04/2012 08:52

Prevention waaaaay better than cure, OP.

We get nits going round DD2's school regularly, and DD2 never gets them. Which is just as chuffin' well, because she has v long v curly hair and the whole combing thing is a nightmare (literally takes 3/4 of an hour to comb through her hair with conditioner and a nit comb) But I plait her hair, tightly, every morning, and her regular shampoo and conditioner has a few drops of tea tree oil in it, & those things combined seem to keep the feckers at bay.

Lice can get hedrin-resistant, so if you happen to have a hedrin-resistant strain in school (and if you keep using it regularly, then you will do eventually) then treating them is just throwing money away, I'm afraid.

whatsallthefuss · 27/04/2012 08:53

i understand your frustration... my dd had nits for months! tried all the lotions potions, creams and oils, none worked!

we have quite a standard routine now. Sunday nights, have a bath and wash hair, stick a dvd on and do the wetcombing with the nittygritty comb.

since christmas she has been nit free. even though she is, we still do the sunday night combing, because it only takes two of the feckers, and you are back into the cycle

good luck, perservere, not let the little feckers win!

DressDownFriday · 27/04/2012 08:54

What policy does your school have about its?

I would be speaking to other parents, warning them about your children so they can keep an eye out on their children.

We signed a form at school so the TA could do a regular check of the children. This has really helped and both my dds managed to get through primary without nits. There are cases of nits at school but due to the checking, it is dealt with promptly. Parents are asked into the school, warned about the nits and asked to deal accordingly.

MrsKittyFane · 27/04/2012 09:00

So it's not PC for primary schools to inform parents that their child has mature nits crawling through their hair- constantly?
Parents who never treat nits are not caring for their DC adequately IMO.
At my secondary school parents are phoned directly and asked to deal with it. Just as parents are asked to provide their DC with clean clothes if they are sent in dirty. They are also visited by the child protection team if problems persist.
Why are primary staff so timid?

Littlefish · 27/04/2012 09:02

I agree with Seeker. I'm a teacher and I speak directly to parents if I see a child doing that tell-tale hard scratching, or if I see eggs or actual lice.

I understand that you need to do the condition and comb thing every other day for at least 2 weeks in order to break the breeding cycle (in fact, it may be 3 weeks).

Sorry OP, you're going to have to wash their hair more often. Put some tea tree oil in the final rinse of water too as that can help and is much cheaper than chemical treatments.

weblette · 27/04/2012 09:08

I feel your pain OP.
Yes we do the three day condition and comb routine, ds3 has blonde hair so they are very visible. I 'did' him on Tuesday, he was completely clear, yet when I saw him scratching this morning I combed out 4 adults.
I am so so sick of having to do this. None of my other 3 ever had the same level. I may start surreptitious nit inspections when his friends come over...

maytheoddsbeeverinyourfavour · 27/04/2012 09:19

Sorry op I think you might be one of the parents your moaning about who has let your children infect others, if you ask the teacher to speak to parents you might find they end up coming to you

As the others have said, just treating when you see them is no good, you really have to make time to wet comb several times a week. The once you do it is not enough and if all the other parents are doing the same as you then they will keep getting passed around and around

You do get used to it though, I have six dc and they form a queue when it's combing time it's a good habit to get into though because when they are clear from headlice the combing doesn't take long at all so it's no bother and you can get rid of the little blighters before they take hold

If you have girls with long hair hairspray really helps too. Don't worry you'll get used to the endless nature of it all and it'll become normal soon

maytheoddsbeeverinyourfavour · 27/04/2012 09:23

Just remembered something else...although its not as effective as wet combing, I also whizz a nitty gritty comb through their hair every morning with a bit of leave in conditioner as they're getting ready for school just to make sure they're clear before they go in, I even do the baby (gently) who always looks at me like this

Mrsjay · 27/04/2012 09:27

you really cant pinpoint the offender as the offender may have caught them elsewhere nit accusations is a bloody minefiel and i dont think schools are allowed to these days , in my day a letter was sent home if it was you , anywa dds had them for ages when in primary it stopped when dd1 went to high school so im assuming it was somebody in her class , Seriously forget the lotion and wetcomb them out every day for 2 weeks , I got bugbuster combs (google it ) but a lot recommend the nitty gritty , and you need to comb comb and comb some more ,

Mrsjay · 27/04/2012 09:29

oh and once you get rid comb every 2 days just to make sure nit treatments may work but you have to keep on top of it and I dont think you are , in the nicest possible way you cant just put treatment on and not keep at the preventative ,

pantaloons · 27/04/2012 09:38

Can I ask a possibly thick question? I checked dd the other night as nits were mentioned on the school newsletter. She had about 15-20 empty eggs stuck to her hair, but they were all 3-4 cm away from the root. I combed through repeatedly with teatree conditioner and got them all out, but didn't find any live ones. I've combed through again since and not got any eggs.

Does this mean the nits moved on before I realised she had even got them or have I somehow missed the little shits?

Mrsjay · 27/04/2012 09:44

If she had eggs then i guess lice are around keep combing you will probably get live lice , get a white piece of paper or loo roll and wipe the comb on that , you will see the little buggers

SusanneLinder · 27/04/2012 09:55

If you have to buy Headlice treatment, you can register your child with the Minor Ailments thingy at your local chemist.Applies to anyone under age 16 or on free prescriptions.Ask you chemist for details.

slipperandpjsmum · 27/04/2012 10:07

I am not sure which category I would fit into - victim or offender. My dcs would pick them up from school and I would treat, however, I am sure they would have passed some of the little buggers to a few of their friends whilst I was battling to get rid of them.

I had a friend who used to check other children's hair when they came round to play. People soon started saying no to invitations!

Its much more of a problem now than when my eldest (now 16) was little. But as others have posted it does pass as they get older. Have a look at the teens thread and what comes with that life stage

DartsAgain · 27/04/2012 10:09

Just reading this has made me want to scratch my head

DD is finally clear now she's at secondary. We'd do the combing and tying up and she'd be clear for a month or two and then get them again. Even now, we still do a check every few days. she once told me her friend's mum didn't check regularly for them, and it does seem as if she was getting them from this friend. It's a good friendship, so rather than getting cross with the mum, I simply told her that DD had nits and maybe she should check her DD (ie, not directly accusing).

DS is pretty resistant to them, and as he has very short hair, it's just so easy to comb through.

ClaimedByMe · 27/04/2012 10:16

My dd is allergic to the lice biting her scalp she gets bit swollen weeping scabby lumps on her scalp, she was stuck with a repeat offender through 2 years of nursery then they landed the in the same primary class, i lasted about a month before having it out with the head teacher about the other girls hair, the only way i got taken seriously was threatening to keep my dd off school everytime she needed treated, she needed piriton for the itching with made her drowsy.

Needless to say the school took action and the other girl was removed from school and sent home everytime she was scratching her head, all the kids in the class saw them moving about in her hair, sadly the girl was removed from her mum and is now in foster care but is now being looked after and happy.

startail · 27/04/2012 10:19

You comb, they return you comb, they return.

I've come to the conclusion you can reduce the number of litre buggers, but eradication is a pointless dream.

Even in DD2s shortish fine hair, they hide, in the waist length manes of her big sister and many of the girls, who knows.

DD1 is at secondary and as far as I can see they are much better, but no way hand on heart could I swear, that not one tiny little blighter has escaped.

I honestly don't believe any parent who swears their DDs are nit free.

gobbledegook1 · 27/04/2012 10:19

When I worked in a nursery I was told that they are not allowed to check children's hair and if they just happen to see something they are not also not allowed to tell that child's parent directly, they are not allowed to single children out or treat them any different hence why a vague can you all check your children's hair please is sent out.

I've been lucky so far only one of my children has ever contracted nits and only the once. I used full marks and combed the hair to death thought I'd got rid but when he went back to nursery came home with a head full again so am convinced he had re caught them as opposed to having not got rid. I shaved all his hair off and treated him thoroughly a second time and and they stayed gone.

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