To think lockdown has been a huge headlouse eradication opportunity and we will soon see who hasn't treated their kids

[NoIDontWatchLoveIsland]

We've all had it. You keep bloody combing out the bloody lice and they just keep catching them again at school. Every one blames everyone else.

But if we've maintained proper social distance and continued to treat through lockdown, the critters should have taken a serious hit. Anyone who has been in lockdown and still has them now - Please realise you were the problem and you need to learn to treat properly.

AIBU

It was a mistake to get rid of the nit nurse. I remember everyone being checked regularly at school. Obviously cut this service due to the cost but they also got rid of the very effective lice treatment. Luckily my children have only had it once but I know if took ages to get rid of them.
Even if children all go nit free it won't last. The horrible things will soon make a comeback.

@PicsInRed yy. I wonder if anyone has done any studies about increasing prevalence of nits and increasing prevalence of the "no chemicals on my child's hair/the chemicals don't work" brigade.

I've never had nits either, or my children or my grandchildren, perhaps there is something in the blood theory?

A friend of mine had ended up having a very messy separation in the middle of all this, I doubt nits would be top if her agenda

So because of a breakup her kids personal hygiene goes out the window ?

I totally agree with you op, There is no reason/excuse why any child after being in lockdown for 9 weeks + should return to school with nits.

we've never had headlice either.

I'd be really interested in whether there's been any research into this.

Where I grew up (not the UK) you would get sent home if the school nurse found nits or lice. Do they just let children stay for the rest of the day here? Surely it's so itchy and uncomfortable sad

Same. We had them once at school. That was it. I don't understand how is it such a continuous issue in UK😳

It's ridiculous to suggest children are neglected because they have nits...

We've had them before and they are a bastard, especially in children with thick dark hair. However there are families - often quite privileged ones - who do nothing at all to treat them, or do the chemicals without the time-consuming brushing and checking that is needed to truly get it under control.

That is neglect, it's unkind to the child and is a huge cost on all the other parents who have to try to deal with them. For one child they may be an annoyance, but for others with SEN, the feeling of it is enough to make life pretty unbearable.

@francienolan yup, they're allowed to stay and come back day after day with untreated nits to pass it on to the rest of the class. I think there was a reason that nit nurses were needed, and they're needed more now as bits are so resistant to the chemical treatments and they are being less notices or addressed by busy working parents and many families without the resources /education /desire to address it.

It's ridiculous to suggest children are neglected because they have nits...

True. Mine have had nits, I got them too. Not neglect.

Children having nits, having frequent infestations and not being treated for them, neglect. Sure, it's a right rigmarole spending an hour delousing heads a couple of times in a week, but it's really not hard, or challenging, and yes, it should be a priority even if you're wfh.

We would consider frequent and untreated nitty hair as a safeguarding concern at my workplace.

My dd still has them!
We comb most days. (Missed about 3 days in 9 weeks).
Used the expensive shampoo 5 times. At £14 a bottle. Whole bottle on her long hair.
Different brands. Still find live lice after using the shampoo.
Yes, we follow the instructions.

Yes, we leave the gloopy stuff on for plenty long enough (apart from the last one we had which stated "5 minutes, NO LONGER")
we are sick of the damn things!
Anybody know which shampoo /treatment is working at the moment?
We have been using the lyclear and hedrin that are supposed to suffocate the bastards.
And a long pronged metal comb. Cant remember its name

DS (9) has had them several times over the last 18 months or so. It got very frustrating treating, combing, over and over. He told me his friend in his class is always scratching their head and, what a surprise, DS hasn't had nits since school ended.

@MyNameHasBeenTaken

Have you been changing her bedding daily? Washing soft toys and soft furnishings like cushions on the sofa?

I really don’t think it’s the parents who are busy home schooling and working who are usually the ones who neglect to deal with this kind of thing.

@MyNameHasBeenTaken agree with others about bedding, soft furnishings and toys. Clean them as hot as possible, including pillow case covers (buy them if you.dont have them), wash pillows too. Hot weather is your friend here as it's good for drying and for frying the little bleeders, so best to do today before it turns!

Also do you have other dcs? Check them and also yourselves, some people have them with few symptoms and it can pass back and forwards

www.chc.org/the-bug-buster-kit-products/#:~:text=Bug%20Buster%20and%20Nit%20Buster,instructions%20included%20in%20the%20Kit.

This bug busting kit is amazing if you aren't succeeding with the normal combs/products. There's a fine comb to get the nits out, then one to get the shells/v fine babies out as well.

It is a pain with children with long hair, best bet is to cut their hair a bit so no long tangles at the end, then condition and do it according to the instructions- every few days.

If you are combing daily and in 9 weeks haven't got rid of live nits, you are doing it wrong. Simple as!

I also agree treat other family members/wash bedding/change pillowcases etc. But if you follow the programme (it tells you on which days to comb to break the cycle) and do a thorough job on the days you do (rather than a quick job which obviously isn't working) then they will go.

Washing bed linen and toys is of no benefit as nits do not live in them.

What would help though is combing every few days with a Nitty Gritty and loads of conditioner.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/head-lice-and-nits/

As a kid my parents never bothered. A lockdown wouldn't have made them remove them either. It took me getting my own debit card to order a bit comb at 13 to get rid of them. It was horrific

I've got 3 girls(16,7 and 5) with long thick curly hair. We use conditioner and a nitty gritty comb every 3 days. Yes it's hard work but it's part of meeting hygiene needs same as tooth brushing or washing hands.

I'm sorry but who doesnt "have time"? Hats a shocking excuse and stinks of neglect. What else do they not have time for?

I'd prefer eradication of thread worm. They are vial.

Anybody else's head itchy just reading this?

Same for sexually transmitted diseases.

@Daisyhut

I was thinking this the other day. If schools checked every child who was returning, we have a chance to get rid of them for good.

Apart from the fact that teachers aren't allowed to examine children you wouldn't be able to do this and keep social distance. I do agree that if parents have been checking and treating their own children head lice could be eliminated.

I sincerely hope so! We had a phase of them a year or so ago, got them back about 6 times in a school year. I think we all just kept overlapping with treatments and passing them round. That's one silver lining from the whole affair.

*It was a mistake to get rid of the nit nurse.
I was told, at the time, that this was they could only come into school once a term and missed all the outbreaks in between. Also that they are spread in the community, by siblings, grandparents etc., not only in school.

My dh and I never had nits and our dc only had them once (so far) couple of years ago. And yet I have friends whose kids go to the same school as my dc and seems like they're constantly having to "battle " against nits. I don't understand why they seem to stick so hard on some kids heads and not others? My dc and I have quite fine hair, wonder if it is to do with that? Easier to treat?