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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think there's no point in asking parents to check for nits

56 replies

HighDataUsage · 09/02/2017 19:41

because its the same kid in my dd's class who is infecting everyone. Every month a letter comes home asking us to check heads for infestation. It is always the same little boy who scratches his head like crazy and his mum stands there oblivious. His two sisters also stand there at home time scratching so it's obvious he's catching it from then. I know it's a viscious circle but I don't see the point in checking if the source of the infestation is spreading it to all and sundry. The teacher very diplomatically mentioned that the mother of the boy isn't very vigilant in checking. So short of shaving of all of dd's hair, what should I do?

OP posts:
user892 · 09/02/2017 19:43

Report her to SS for neglect? I don't know but would love some ideas myself for a similar situation...

RedGrapeCornSnake · 09/02/2017 19:44

Are you me?
We had a nit letter today, no doubt the usual pair of nitty twins has reinfested everyone again. I've checked DS and thankfully he's clear

bumsexatthebingo · 09/02/2017 19:44

Treat them and comb daily with nitty gritty and conditioner. That should keep them at bay.
I agree it's pointless sending letters though. The parents who are vigilant will check and treat anyway and the ones who aren't still won't.

Ilovecaindingle · 09/02/2017 19:45

Invite him for tea and text his dm. . I have found 30000 nits in Norman's hair so have drowned the little fuckers in Hedrin - . See you at 6om!!

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 09/02/2017 19:45

Same here. The parents who do check and treat don't need the letters, the ones who don't will ignore them.

I agree with reporting to SS for neglect, because it is.

SaorAlbaGuBrath · 09/02/2017 19:47

Tell her straight, her kids are jumping with lice and she needs to get on top of it. Yes, I have said that to someone before. A mum at nursery kept refusing to believe her boy was the one spreading the lice continually.
So I told her that you could see the lice, and her response was "oh no that's dandruff" and without thinking my response was "what with feet????" Funnily enough she cut his hair, treated him and he hasn't had lice since.

Astro55 · 09/02/2017 19:52

The issue is that schools don't say why they are sending the letters so they just look like 'advice' rather than 'someone in the class has lice ... please can you treat your child'

When I pointed this out to a few on FB the not disappeared

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 09/02/2017 19:56

Does your school/LA have a school nurse that could have a word with the parents?

I wonder if it's so bad that the parents are in denial/overwhelmed and just hope ignoring it will work.

Poor kids, I had Eczema as a child and that was bad enough, I can't imagine how uncomfortable having no end of nits is Sad

Original poster
HighDataUsage · 09/02/2017 20:00

It's stressful for us both to go through the rigmarole of checking. It's unfortunately been a long term problem with this boy all the way through nursery, infants and now juniors. To top it off he wants to come round for tea!

OP posts:
ShimmeringIce · 09/02/2017 20:14

Yuck. Why don't schools exclude repeat offenders?

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 09/02/2017 20:16

To top it off he wants to come round for tea!

Could you nitcomb him while he was there?

OnceMoreIntoTheBleach · 09/02/2017 20:19

How long is your dd's hair? Can you put it in a bun? With a net? To keep the blighters out?

Yy yo having him round and mentioning to the mum.

RedBugMug · 09/02/2017 20:23

just telling them directly would help

exLtEveDallas · 09/02/2017 20:25

The issue is that schools don't say why they are sending the letters so they just look like 'advice

Ours do. Something like "A case of head lice has been reported in X class today. Please can all parents check and treat children as necessary"

Mrsglitterfairy · 09/02/2017 20:35

Yuck. Why don't schools exclude repeat offenders?
Really?? As gross as it is, what would excluding a child who has done nothing wrong achieve? Yes the problem may have gone from that class but the poor child will still be infested with lice and will also feel that they have done something wrong to be excluded from school. Maybe the school speaking to the parents would help

MsJamieFraser · 09/02/2017 20:39

Im going to touch wood, as we are very lucky in the boys school, my ds who are 7 and 11, have never had them, and in all the time they have been in school, we have never had a nit letter.

Personally if if it was me, I had said something to the parent by now, more so if I had to treat my children monthly, because of her poor parenting.

Sweets101 · 09/02/2017 20:40

To my shame DD once had a nit fall of her head in class Blush (I hadn't realised she had them as it was the first time and it turns out she doesn't react to them/scratch) the teacher did the right thing and had a quiet word at home time. Then a letter went out for everyone to check.
I just treat nit comb them every week now.
But you are right some people refuse to believe it's them, fail to treat properly and merrily carry on blaming others!

EatTheChocolateTeapot · 09/02/2017 20:41

It is supposed to help if you rince your DD's hair with vinegar after washing them (thevinegary smell goes once hair is dry).

user892 · 09/02/2017 20:53

A good routine of careful regular hot hair drying is effective for killing most eggs & lice - it dries them out.

Original poster
HighDataUsage · 09/02/2017 20:55

Dd's hair is past her shoulders so quiet long and I do keep it up or plaited. I also have to check my ds's hair in case he catches it from dd and he has autism so that's a fun experience. It's inevitable that they will both get it and I don't really want to nitcomb the boys head because I think I might be overstepping a few boundaries. I don't know how his mother would react to that tbh.

OP posts:
HeyMicky · 09/02/2017 21:00

The school where my mother worked used to treat whole classes as parents wouldn't do anything. The whole lot, done with parent volunteers, loads of cheap conditioner and nit combs, every day for a fortnight until the class was clear.

Can't imagine it happening now but it was seen as a community service then (mid-90s)

Original poster
HighDataUsage · 09/02/2017 21:00

I agree with the poster above, I don't think he should be allowed back into school after half term until he's been treated. His parents have a week to sort it out but I don't think they will tbh, it's been going on for years now.

OP posts:
RedBugMug · 09/02/2017 21:00

or tell the mother 'no playdate until your dc has been treated and is free of nits'

Original poster
HighDataUsage · 09/02/2017 21:02

Has anyone tried nit combing a child with ASC? Not fun I tell you!

OP posts:
bumsexatthebingo · 09/02/2017 21:04

Spraying diluted tea tree on the hair is supposed to help keep them away as well (stinks a bit). We do this and, touch wood, dd's never had nits - even when one of her bf's caught them.