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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think if your kid has head lice, sort it out!

138 replies

Sigyn · 16/05/2014 08:48

Ok I am so fed up with this.

My kids have several friends whose parents basically will not treat head lice.

  1. They do not want "harsh chemicals" on their kid's head.
  2. They cannot be arsed do not have the time to spend hours each night for a week or so fine combing each kid's hair.
  3. They have near religious beliefs in the power of one or all of the following: tea tree oil, coconut oil and/or neem.

I am deeply Hmm about neem btw. Apparently, it can kill the eggs. So you don't want to put "harsh chemicals" on your kid's head (the active ingredient in Full Marks, for example, is a drying agent, a bit like those those little silica packets)-but you will put something on their head so toxic and pervasive that it can get through the shell of an egg? (but, yk, your business...).

Lice are not a mystical mysterious thing. This is how you kill them. Either use a OTC formula or similar to kill the eggs, and comb through, repeatedly, until they are gone (resistance, you might have missed a bit esp with long hair, etc) OR do the same, using conditioner, mayo, coconut oil, whatever floats your boat and a Nitty Gritty (ideally) until they are gone. Then do it all again a week later as the eggs start to hatch. Then tie up your kids hair into pigtails.

It takes hard, bloody work and I am SO sick of it.

This is the prevalent culture in the circles we mix in. Basically, medical intervention=bad. Unpronounceable names on medicine= bad. Untested, potentially dangerous and/or ineffective "medicines" = great, possibly transcendent.

Oh and fwiw, I think even with a chemical spray you need to comb through. I don't think those who use sprays get off the hook.

OP posts:
Sigyn · 17/05/2014 08:35

And while we are (not really) on the subject of teatree, I'm just going to cut and paste from Wiki on the matter. Everything here is referenced and you can get to the references by following the link to the article. These are all, from what I can see, peer reviewed articles, as opposed to, say, someone's Phd thesis.

"A 2012 review of head lice treatment recommended against the use of tea tree oil on children because it could cause skin irritation or allergic reactions, because of contraindications, and because of a lack of knowledge about the oil's safety and effectiveness.[13]"

"Topical application of TTO can cause adverse reactions at high concentration. Adverse effects including skin irritation, allergic contact dermatitis, systemic contact dermatitis, linear immunoglobulin A disease, erythema multiforme like reactions, and systemic hypersensitivity reactions.[8][14] The National Pediculosis Association in the United States states pure tea tree oil is contraindicated for use by pregnant women and children.[13][15]

Tea tree oil is toxic when swallowed.[14] According to the American Cancer Society ingesting tea tree oil has been reported to cause drowsiness, confusion, hallucinations, coma, unsteadiness, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach upset, blood cell abnormalities, and severe rashes. It should be kept away from pets and children.[3] Tea tree oil should not be used in or around the mouth.[4] There is at least one case of poisoning reported in medical literature.[16]

Exposure of tea tree oil to air and light results in oxidation of some of its components. Oxidized tea tree oil should not be used.[17] Some people experience allergic contact dermatitis as a reaction to dermal contact with tea tree oil. Allergic reactions may be due to the various oxidation products that are formed by exposure of the oil to light and/or air.[14][18]

In vitro testing of tea tree oil shows that it contains chemicals which are weakly estrogenic causing particular concern for use with children. However in tests, the chemicals which show this effect failed to show absorption into the skin, and evidence of a hormonal effect is therefore considered implausible by an EU scientific committee.[1]

In dogs and cats, death[19][20] or transient signs of toxicity (lasting 2 to 3 days), such as depression, weakness, incoordination and muscle tremors, have been reported after external application at high doses.[21] In rats the LD50 is 1.9-2.4 ml/kg.[22]

Undiluted tea tree oil can cause some hearing loss when used in the ears of non-human animals; however, a 2% concentration has not been shown to have any lasting effect. It is not known whether the same is true for humans.[23]"

Wiki on tea tree

Substitute the word "tea tree" for "terpinen-4-ol" and see how much you want to be wafting it around near your child's mouth. Oh and incidentally, terpinen-4-ol /teatree, from what I can work out quickly, seems to be pretty volatile, meaning it floats around easily. So while applying it locally and topically in 2% solutions is probably fine, at least for adults, I would not personally be spraying it near my kid's head.

OP posts:
Sigyn · 17/05/2014 09:05

I will be interested to see if my science-dump kills the thread here...that would be kind of interesting....

OP posts:
Goldmandra · 17/05/2014 09:21

A while ago, DD1 was getting regularly infected at school. I tried all the lotions and used them to the letter of the instructions but they always left a few still alive.

In the end, the school nurse told me that it is the combing that's effective which is why they all tell you to comb thoroughly.

I stopped using the lotions and went for thorough combing every two or three days for two to three weeks depending on how soon she appeared to be clear.

It was a pain because her hair is ridiculously thick and long but it worked. I was able to deal with every new infection swiftly and effectively and we've never had a problem getting rid of DD2's the same way.

Maybe that's because I don't get bored and take shortcuts but it's worth it to me to do it properly and save the ridiculous amounts of money the treatments cost.

I don't understand how someone can not have time to use a nit comb regularly enough to clear an infestation but still have time to use a copper comb every day as prevention. Am I misunderstanding?

whatever5 · 17/05/2014 09:29

YANBU. I avoid the treatments as ultimately the nits just get more resistant to everything. You can get rid if nits just by combing with a nit comb very regularly with conditioner though. The excuse that they haven't got time is totally ridiculous. It doesn't take that long even with very long and thick hair. If they can't do that they haven't got time to look after their children full stop.

MrsCosmopilite · 17/05/2014 11:27

As the shampoo that was meant to kill off the buggers didn't work too well, I'm trialling conditioner overload today.

Playing dominoes whilst it 'sits' in the hair has been okayed today by DD.

Thenapoleonofcrime · 17/05/2014 11:33

Goldmandra that's been my approach too.

For those saying about the time-factor, I agree if you have girls or boys with long/thick hair it can be a nightmare- I used to put a DVD on, get the towels out and do this downstairs. Once clear, go upstairs for hairwash/shower. It seems worse in the bath somehow.

catsofa · 17/05/2014 12:26

Sigyn - science hugs Grin

Loverofpeas · 17/05/2014 12:55

A twice weekly comb with the nitty gritty comb works for nits in our house. Once not free we do once weekly nitty gritty combs to check. It's quick, extremely cheap and chemical free.

Loverofpeas · 17/05/2014 13:14

A twice weekly comb with the nitty gritty comb works for nits in our house. Once not free we do once weekly nitty gritty combs to check. It's quick, extremely cheap and chemical free.

rookiemater · 17/05/2014 13:20

Why does any conversation involving nits make me want to scratch my hair repeatedly ?

DS has had them once. Since then I check his hair in the bath at least once a week, fingers crossed that does the trick.

Thumbwitch · 17/05/2014 14:52

I love the assumption that anyone who wants to avoid Harsh Chemicals is scientifically ignorant. I'm not, I can assure you. I don't use tea tree oil either.

missymayhemsmum · 17/05/2014 15:04

Hairwash, nitty gritty comb and conditioner on sunday nights, repeat daily if I find one. Cheap and effective.

DD's school always has a nit problem and the TA's usually have a good idea who is reinfecting the class. School have now said that if they see a louse on a child the parents will be called to take the child home for treatment. Seems reasonable to me.

CerealMom · 17/05/2014 17:51

www.thehairforce.co.uk

Linky for the sporners :-)

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