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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

DD has caught head lice at nursery

168 replies

MillyMollyMandy2018 · 13/03/2019 17:33

AIBU to feel really cross that some people don’t treat head lice properly, if at all. Went to the Christmas concert and there was one child in particular who scratched her way through it. A letter from the head comes round shortly after stating nursery has an outbreak and how to treat/prevent etc. Noticed DD scratching yesterday at bedtime and upon inspection she has lice. Live lice. Horrid!
Nursery inform me today they have never really got on top of the situation due to some parents not addressing the issue properly/at all.
We’ve spent an hour yesterday conditioner combing and another hour today with the head lice treatment and combing. I know I should accept it’s just a part of school, so why do I feel so angry about it?!

OP posts:
dogsdinnerlady · 13/03/2019 18:09

And it's a fact that head lice prefer nice clean hair, And 'nits' are the egg cases, not the insects.

KnitterOfSocks · 13/03/2019 18:10

Worms - white dead worms in their poo, often after they've been scratching their bum repeatedly.

Parenting is a fucking joy

AgentJohnson · 13/03/2019 18:10

I live in the Netherlands and we have the lice mothers. They do a lice check at the beginning of term and kids with lice are sent home and when they return they must undergo another lice check. It’s become so normal that there’s no shame, just irritation that your kid has lice.

EmeraldShamrock · 13/03/2019 18:11

They are a pain and disgusting but part of life with DC. My DC have never had them it might be down to luck or tea tree shampoo.
I use tea tree shampoo weekly so far so good.

VibingGood · 13/03/2019 18:14

Dare I ask how you identify that they have worms?

You'll see them in their poo. Gross but have a quick glance in the toilet bowl.

DS got them once. DH got them from him. Noticed a little white thread in poo in the toilet. DS was going through a phase of not flushing [yuck]

Make sure nails are kept clean and short. Washing hands before eating and after the toilet. Keep hands out of mouths.

EmeraldShamrock · 13/03/2019 18:15

And it's a fact that head lice prefer nice clean hair
I don't believe it is true, I think it was something your mam used to reassure you. My NDNS when DC had long dirty hair, they constantly had nites.
Wait till you see worms.
Mine have both had worms. Envy not envy

x2boys · 13/03/2019 18:15

When my son had worms they kept him awake at night they cause pain apparently ,I also could see tem when I was changing his nappy(,he's disabled he still wears nappies)horrible things

Disfordarkchocolate · 13/03/2019 18:16

With my daughter, we did a weekly nit check with a proper nit comb and spray in tea tree oil conditioner all through primary school. If we found anything we checked every other day. It was relentless but at least we had a regular time for a chat.

VibingGood · 13/03/2019 18:17

And it's a fact that head lice prefer nice clean hair

Really? I always thought that was a myth. My DC have bath/hairwash every night and still never got them.

I really think they just prefer some types of hair.

WorraLiberty · 13/03/2019 18:18

And it's a fact that head lice prefer nice clean hair

That's a myth I'm afraid.

They really don't care.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 13/03/2019 18:18

Don't forget to check the whole family, they spread easily.

My DD has uncombable hair so I use Hedrin Once on the whole family. Apply it before bed, brush through and leave on overnight, wrap old towels around pillows. In the morning DH and I wash our hair and the DC have their hair towel dried to remove most of the Hedrin and then go in looking a bit greasy. Then wash the DC's hair that evening.

thedisorganisedmum · 13/03/2019 18:19

I can't get worked up about headlice. I keep my anger and rage against these stupid parents who ignore the 48h rule for D&V

ThreeBagsFullofWool · 13/03/2019 18:23

It's gross how common this is here and people just accept it. Ick.

You would think 2.5 months later they would hace it under control.

Original poster
MillyMollyMandy2018 · 13/03/2019 18:31

AgentJohnson I was surprised when the nursery said send her in today no problem. Even though she has head lice. No time off to treat required or expected.

OP posts:
PottyPotterer · 13/03/2019 18:31

I use vosene kids shampoo with tea tree and mine has never had them in 8 years at school/nursery. My mum used vosene original on me as a child, I also never got them.
They're not inevitable as some people are saying, don't think any of ds's friendship group have ever had them either. We get the round robin email every so often, but so far we've been lucky, or it's the vosene!

BestestBrownies · 13/03/2019 18:32

God it's bloody grim that this is so normalised now.

Bring back the Nit Nurse I say!

BestestBrownies · 13/03/2019 18:34

Also, is anyone else feeling itchy just reading this?

Clarl · 13/03/2019 18:35

Mine has never had them thankfully. I use a tea tree spray to try and prevent them.
We’ve had to deal with worms though! So gross.

VibingGood · 13/03/2019 18:35

A few months ago some parents got quite angry on the class whatsapp group after the 3rd letter a a few weeks.

Suggestions were

  1. nitty gritty comb
  2. check thoroughly
  3. Tea tree oil in shampoo
  4. If long hair then tie it up.

Parents must have listened because there hasn't been a letter for months now.

10IAR · 13/03/2019 18:35

BestestBrownies I would be if I hadn't spent the last 3 days ensuring we were all deloused after the last lot.

Little fuckers.

OrigamiZoo · 13/03/2019 18:36

We have been combing and treating for a couple of years now. It is just part of life. Come back when you've combed relentlessly and they come back with a vengeance as you missed a little fucker then you won't be so supercilious!

OrigamiZoo · 13/03/2019 18:37

Head lice reproduce very quickly. The male is a tireless lover who can fertilize 18 females in a row without having a rest. The females mate several times during their adult life, which can vary from ten to forty days, usually about 20 days. They lay up to 10 lice eggs or nits daily.

cricketmum84 · 13/03/2019 18:39

YADNBU.

My daughter has had head lice 10 effing times since Christmas!! We treat, comb with nitty gritty, follow all the guidelines and every single time we get rid of them she gets them again!!

School will not send a letter out to all parents advising they are going round. I've put messages on the school Facebook group asking parents to please check their kids hair but it doesn't seem to be doing anything!!!

I know people say to expect them when kids are at school but we got one through primary school with only one case of nits and the other has got to year 5 before ever having them so I don't think it's something that should just be accepted!

GreenTulips · 13/03/2019 18:43

but so far we've been lucky, or it's the vosene!

Actually it’s the tea tree oil

You have wasted a lot of money on a brand shampoo when Tee tree oil is cheap and can be added to any shampoo or conditioner or water spray

VibingGood · 13/03/2019 18:45

@cricketmum84
Do you have a class whatsapp group at all? Bring it up on there if you do.

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