Bring back the nit nurse!

[nix72]

Every week this school year my kids have brought home letters regarding headlice in their classes. Some parents are clearly not treating their kids so no matter how fastidious we are about getting our kids nit free, the chances are they will get them again pretty quickly. When I was at school the nit nurse would come regularly and check, and write to parents of those affected. Wish this happened now.

Sidge, what age is your dd1? I am longing for the day when my dd2 stops being a nit magnet. My longterm experience suggests they seem to find some people especially succulent!

whether one thing works better than other also depends on the hairtype. DS: no problems using the nitty gritty comb and conditioner. DD: long (and I mean looonnng) very thin hair, does not remove all eggs, can't get through all hairs systematially. Hedrin works on her, but of course deosn't kill the eggs, not supposed to ewither!.

Fully agree with sidge, very often just inadequatley treated instead of reinfection!!!

Tea tree oil, talking about banning it on the continent (well, it least one country) as may be carcinogenic...

Nitty Gritty comb doesn't work on my dd2's hair, similarly long and fine. We tried a 'herbal potion' and her skin reacted so badly she had to be kept off school; pharmacist thought it might be teatree. So we comb, we hedrin, we full marks, we mayonnaise, we vinegar, we liquid petroleum but not near a flame...

stleger she is now 10.5 and hasn't had lice for years.

I think once they get to junior age (about 7-8) they seem to be less susceptible to headlice, maybe because they have less close head contact with classmates?

Damn, mine is 12! My friend reckoned his dd became nit free at about 14, they got bored and left! (We blame dd2's best friend's stepsister in an urban myth way, for being 'untreated')

Since the withdrawal of the "nit nurse" school screening programme because it was deemed ineffective (head lice has since increased) and embarrassing and could cause bullying (kids get bullied for having head lice and are shunned)
Protocol needs to change as schools ignoring the problem is not good enough. Parents have been left abandoned with no support or guidance. Schools not communicating only re-in forces the current "blame and shame culture".
Our head lice clinic in Hemel Hempstead offer schools in Herts free talks about "head lice" or school nurses should be able to inform parents what, how, when and why facts about lice.