To feel utterly defeated by nits ?

[Biggadyboo]

Have two kids with learning disabilities. They have both had nits since January. Which means I have too.

Treated them first with Hedrin, three times every seven days, wet combing mid week.

still there

Then tried nitnot , no difference.

was advised by a GP friend to try Lyclear as different active ingredient. Have done that three times now. No change.

the kids both utterly hate having their hair combed. Their learning disabilities and sensory issues make it a stressful battle.

But nevertheless I’ve been fucking combing it with conditioner as much as I can the last two weeks . Almost every night. It’s utterly hell, screaming, crying, horrible. But I’ve been doing it

and today there are still literally hundreds of the bastards. I literally can’t comb them all out. There’s just too many

i don’t know what to do😭

After the hassle of the nit lotion I took no risk of reinfection at home. In my experience they can survive off the head for sometime. I combed with conditioner every day after school in the worst times of it. There’s no way I would have put the same hat back on my kids head or had them sleep on the same pillowcase after doing the lotion. Everyone does what they think best though but I’ve seen this in action and if nits aren’t tackled from every direction they remain and reinfect. This is how they survive so well in a world of lotion and combs.

First of all, forget the chemical lotions. They’re all crap, they don’t work, and they give a false sense of security. The only vaguely related lotion I’d try is the Nitty Gritty one because it makes combing easier and the lice don’t like the smell. This was what worked for me:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000KUALOU?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details

In addition - and very importantly - you need the right comb. I found the metal Nitty Gritty comb crap. The NG lotion above comes with a white plastic comb that’s a million times better. You can also buy packs of two cheap white combs for a few quid (various brands). These work much better in my experience.

Finally - sectioning hair. Once you’ve applied the NG lotion above (or cheap condition - but the lotion is better) divide child’s hair into three sections initially: one section starting just behind each ear. Put two of those sections in bobbles, and start with a side section. Divide that side section into two, parting the hair from top to bottom. Put one of those sections in a bobble (the section furthest from the face), then start combing through the first section, dividing it into small ‘slices’ starting at the top, and comb through, wiping the comb on toilet paper each time to wipe off the nits. Continue into you don’t get any more nits from that first section, then bobble it up and undo the bobble on section two and repeat. You’ll be working round the head from one side to another.

Those are detailed instructions, I know, but they will work. I speak from experience! I did it every night until I was only getting a few each time (a few= single digits), then changed to every other night. It takes 3 weeks to clear them as new lice hatch from the eggs over this time.

The school should be sending a letter home to all children. You don’t want yours getting re-infected! Encourage them to keep their heads away from their peers at all times.

Also, wash all your bedding and towels at 60 degrees.

Try a nit removing service. Worked a treat for us. It’s not cheap though. We used Hairforce, the lice assassins, which worked a treat. Two visits and you’re pretty much clear after the first one. Second visit is a check up with some additional combing, hoovering and steaming to dehydrate any eggs that might still be present. Good luck!

In my experience they can survive off the head for sometime

No, they cannot. You're wrong. If you don't believe the pp, just Google it.

Vacuuming your car seats, freezing cuddly toys and putting items away for two weeks - other than making a shitload of work for yourself, these things had no effect at all.

How much did it cost?

I think the chemical treatments have been touch and go for many years - 25 years ago when I was going through this stage the lice were already becoming resistant to hedrin and lyclear.

The electric robi comb worked with my kids. Most of those that are left after that are dead. Also use the leave in detangling spray, tie their hair up for school.

When the lice seem to have gone wait a few days then repeat daily for a week to get the newly hatched ones.

For my own hair I found that chemical treatments like hair dye got rid of them really effectively.

I hear you, my DD is in a special school and it’s a constant battle. There are a couple of kids always infested and she catches them repeatedly because even at 13/14 the kids aren’t great with personal space. I literally comb twice a week and still the little buggers get through. The best treatment I’ve found is NitWits - it basically smothers them but still she just gets reinfested. Both my kids have complex needs and sensory issues, so constant combing is stressful all round.

I’ve read that straighteners can be effective - makes the nits go pop?

The only thing that worked for me was the hedrin spray (NOT the chemical stuff, the one that coats the hair and scalp in thick oily product). This paralyses and suffocates them. Leave for about an hour. Wash out with an entire bottle of cheap shampoo to cut through the oil. At this point, I used to see the suffocated ones falling down the plug hole. Followed by the conditioner then combing method. They were already dead by that point. Followed up after 7 days to get any newly hatched and another 7 days after. A little gruelling but not as painful as daily combing. Mine are ND and this was much less distressing for them.

The pharmacist told me that you have to leave conditioner on for 5 minutes before you start combing because it destroys the stickiness of the eggs.

I bought some hairdresser gear - those really big hair slides for holding sections of hair and a pointy hair divider. I combed the hair a tiny bit at a time.

Preventative spray in the morning. Hair in durch plaits with hairspray.

I totally get what you mean about wanting dd to fit in. Could an undercut work?

When my DC was that age I found vinegar to be the best cure

It was a headlouse. I was there and we conducted the experiment together.

You are wrong I'm afraid.

Not read the full thread but I had similar issues with my dsc when they were abiut 10 and 12...their mum flat out refused to treat which was the primary cause but that's a whole other story.

The pharmacist told me to soak their hair in dettol, wrap in clingfilm and leave for 12 hours then wash it all out.

Never had nits again.

However, not sure how that would word on sensory issues but worth a try

My mobile hairdresser once refused to come to us until we were two weeks post-combing and I’ve seen someone politely asked to leave a salon when nits were found. Some time ago but she told me she wasn’t insured if she knowingly worked on infested hair. In case of spreading to other clients.

It could well have lived but it wouldn't have had the strength to crawl back on a head once dropped off.

Full marks once a week for 4 weeks with a nitty gritty comb. Tie up hair for school. Tea tree on your hair between washes.

its awful, but seems like many of us have been there. Sorry op.

If you or your children have thick hair you can get the hairdresser to thin it out without taking off any length using special scissors. My DD has incredible thick hair which was a nightmare when she was younger. She has long hair but getting it thinned certainly helped.

Straighteners definitely work. You need to straighten in very small sections.

Then put the hair in the tightest of French braids every day for school.

I hate nits, I really feel your pain!

They are never going to be free of them if they are getting reinfested at school.
I'd be contacting school to check that they are sending letters out.
In the meantime I'd be wet combing with conditioner every 2 days. I know that's difficult with SN kids (I had 2) but it's got to be done and I wouldn't want to put toxic pesticides on my kids.

I found most of these treatments aren’t pesticides as they were when we were younger. Many are just silicone intended to cause death by smothering. What’s a major ingredient in hair conditioner and serums? Dimethicone(silicone). So calling them treatments is a stretch IMHO.
Edit for spelling!

@Biggadyboo oddly we found the Sainsbury's own solution better than the branded one.

One of my twins kept getting nits. I'd brush his hair every night so it was nit free then he'd come home from school with large nits again so clearly transferred from someone else he played with as his twin was NOT getting them. I insisted the school checked the hair of the kids he played with as it was getting ridiculous.

2 weeks at home over Christmas and a message home to parents via email and text messages from the school seemed to sort it. Someone was clearly not bothering to check their child's hair!

This is so true, I am shocked at the hostility from some posters on here towards someone who clearly has it harder than them and is doing their best and in distress.

OP I hope outsourcing this to professionals can get rid of the nits and then other recommendations on here (like hairspray etc) prevent them from catching them again. Good luck.

i’m not shocked, mumsnet does tend to be abiT harsh!

sometimes that’s useful

Thank you though to those of you that have offered understanding and kindness. That’s even more helpful x

I used nitwits. It was the only thing that worked.

It sufficates them and you just wash it out, but I'd comb anyway just in case. It's a thick oily substance, nightmare to wash out. But it worked for my kids.

https://amzn.eu/d/j6I6rzV