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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To change pre school due to headlice?

89 replies

Sparrowlegs248 · 07/09/2019 19:26

Dc has been back at pre school for half a day this week and has come home with lice. We had quite a big problem last year with them, I spent a fortune on treatments, treated everyone weekly, bedding, brushes, hats etc. Literally every time he came home, he had big lice on his head. Is it this bad everywhere? Or are we unlucky?

OP posts:
mumwon · 07/09/2019 22:59

also lavender & coal tar shampoo & comb with nit comb & comb with nit & comb with nit comb...

Purplejay · 07/09/2019 23:04

My ds has never had them. His nursery sent letters home regularly for parents to check.. One mum said her Ds just kept getting them no matter how hard she tried. I think it is downr to luck to some extent. Letters were a regular thing through nursery and infants.

Original poster
Sparrowlegs248 · 07/09/2019 23:07

I'm confident I'm getting rid of the. Dc have fine, blonde hair. Very very easy to spot both lice and eggs. I've combed and combed and combed and smothered the horrible little bastards (lice, not DC.....) in a variety of chemicals.

Hair could be straightened.

My issue though is really with the pre school. I realise sone parents won't treat but at least inform everyone. Not every child has the virtually transparent hair that mine do.

OP posts:
VolcanionSteamArtillery · 08/09/2019 08:03

Are you combing for a fortnight after the last louse is found?

Original poster
Sparrowlegs248 · 08/09/2019 08:33

Yes, I comb them daily. Due to the issue last year, I combed both DC in the morning then checked both after, pre school DC had 2 large lice after I picked him up. Non pre school DC had none.

OP posts:
kaytee87 · 08/09/2019 08:39

Sounds really weird. But stop washing his hair. Get it down to once a week. Live love clean hair

This is a myth. It was made up to protect children from being bullied for being dirty if they had lice.

HJWT · 08/09/2019 08:46

DN (touch wood) has never had lice and we use this on her, smells quite strong! She is almost 11 now.

I would speak to pre-school and tell them they need to inform all the parents about lice or start paying for treatments because its not on to just ignore it!

Makes me itch 🤦🏻‍♀️

To change pre school due to headlice?
GetUpAgain · 08/09/2019 09:00

I agree with PP about pushing pre school to do more, there could be a neglected child involved.

It is relentless at this age but at least its only nits... I remember DD getting worms every time she played with a certain child.

Original poster
Sparrowlegs248 · 08/09/2019 10:13

@HJWT does you DD not get them despite outbreaks at school? In which case I'll be ordering some of that I think!

OP posts:
HJWT · 08/09/2019 11:45

@Nottalotta there has been letters but shes never had them x

RumpoleoftheBaileys · 08/09/2019 12:33

I swear by the Vosene shampoo and then the leave is conditioning spray.

Raisingwildanimals · 08/09/2019 12:42

I have no advice apart from to say I was a VERY nitty child. No matter how much my mum combed through my hair with all sorts of remedies I would always come home from school with them right up until I was in Yr8! It was horrible. Definitely get onto nursery and ask them to send letters, just keep in mind that a letter might not help, some parents don’t delice full stop

Scrumptiousbears · 08/09/2019 12:44

I've had my DDs through 3 years of Pre school and they've never had nits. There have been nits which the pre school have told me on the quiet as I get on really well with the staff however they aren't allowed to send out letters or put a notice up as it's bullying apparently.🤷🏼‍♀️

We've also gone though a year of primary school without nits. I'm so grateful as my DD has really really long hair.

rabbitheadlights · 08/09/2019 12:46

NRFT you can buy a lice repellent shampoo from vosene

criticaldarling · 08/09/2019 12:50

There's a notice up at ours about head lice going around, I'd imagine there's not much they can do about it. Seems like a massive over reaction to change.

Isleepinahedgefund · 08/09/2019 12:59

Yes you'd be silly to change schools for live. Thing is, once your child has lice then they are the one passing them on! You can't be sure it's not your kid that's the problem. It seems there is always one kid in every class who is perpetually infested/not treated, and if it happens to be the kid yours plays with then you'll never be free of them. Happened to us in pre school and infant school - my DD obviously attracts the kid with the lice!

DieBabySharkDie · 08/09/2019 13:04

My 4.5yr old has never had lice and has been in nursery, then kindergarten and now school since he was 6mths old. I am waiting for it though as I just think I've been lucky so far!

sleepismysuperpower1 · 08/09/2019 13:06

put tea tree oil in his hair and use the vosine tea tree shampoo to deter them x

Starstruck2020 · 08/09/2019 13:07

I think it’s been mentioned but hair gel/hairspray helps prevent them jumping on.

EmeraldShamrock · 08/09/2019 13:11

I wouldn't change as they are rampant in most preschool classes.
Get a water spray bottle mix with tea tree oil and spray daily.
My DC have never had them, I use tea tree shampoo and it keeps them away.
The staff need to send out letters.

NailsNeedDoing · 08/09/2019 13:16

You need to keep complaining to nursery. They aren't sending out letters or talking to the parents of children they suspect to be the reoffenders because they can't be bothered. There is literally nothing stopping them from tackling this issue, but it's easier for them to leave th parents like you to deal with it instead.

I'd write to them explaining how you know that your children are being infected at nursery and asking what they are doing to prevent the neglect that is occurring by children not being treated. If you make it into a problem they have to do something about, then there's a chance it could go away, and save some poor child from being permanently infested.

Greyhound22 · 08/09/2019 13:22

There's a cheap shampoo you can get from Superdrug that has tea tree in that we use. DS has never had them anyway. Yet.

I seem to be going against the grain but I would look to move. I totally understand kids get headlice but coming back every week riddled Envyvile.

I'll try and find a link to that shampoo for you.

Original poster
Sparrowlegs248 · 08/09/2019 16:13

Thanks for the link, a few suggestions for me to try. I do use a Child's Farm detangling spray with grapefruit and tea tree (I think) but think it's probably too gentle.

I really do know that it's not my child causing the problem. You don't go from no lice or eggs, to adult sized lice, in the space of 4 hours, without having picked them up from someone else.

The reason for my aibu is that of course I know that pre/primary schools have a lice problem. I had NO IDEA it would be this bad, and I don't know if it's this bad everywhere. It seems not.

OP posts:
messolini9 · 08/09/2019 16:37

Change school if you want to - but what will you do when your next choice also has a headlice infestation? Move again?

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