Tips badly needed for nit removal!

[SnoozyLucy]

Actually mean nits - the empty egg cases/fresh eggs, rather than the lice themselves. Have a 4yo with us at the moment (brief respite/foster care) and she came absolutely riddled with lice. I Hedrin'ed and wet combed with lots of conditioner in the shower today but her hair still has so many eggs/egg cases in it looks like she's going prematurely grey, but they're really hanging on for dear life.

Tried the NittyGritty comb, worked a charm for dd when she had them (obviously a LOT less though), but didn't seem to make a dent on LO, I went over the same section for a while and didn't see any noticeable difference and after a day with Hedrin, a shower and a long wet comb the LO was getting quite distressed anyway so had to leave it. Is there anything I can use to get the eggs to drop off or otherwise help shift them? Have heard of leaving olive oil on to loosen the grip of the lice but what works for the eggs?

I was going to suggest Nitty Gritty. I'm not sure anything gets rid of the eggs. You need to make sure you catch the lice when they hatch.

I would wash the hair as usual, and then condition it; whilst she is in the bath, brush the hair through and then nit comb; repeat about every 2 or 3 days until you stop getting the baby lice. I think the incubation time is 1 or 2 weeks.

I prefer conditioner to the nit shampoo's, and I find the bath easier than the shower, cos they can play whilst you are combing.

Hope that helps.

The GP may be able to prescribe something, this sounds like a severe infestation. Poor chld

I think the GP is your only hop. Poor wee thing.

Are you fostering a girl or a boy. If it is a boy you could go for a very short haircut.

Yes, very very severe infestation - when wet combing (with conditioner, I've never even tried the nit shampoo's, always heard they were a bit rubbish) the lice were coming out with the nit comb literally full, I was gobsmacked. Unfortunately we only have a shower so no option to do it in the bath, but now the lice numbers will be so much less I'll probably wrap her up in a towel and let her sit in front of the tv while I wet comb in future.

Will phone the GP tommorrow and ask if they can recommend anything over the phone (no chance of getting an appt for the next week) but will keep wet combing otherwise anyway, thanks, just want to be able to get her completely 'clear' if poss before she goes back home, she told me she's been teased at preschool for having them

Girl unfortunately, otherwise I think I would have just given a boy a buzz cut and be done with it.

Poor mite

Yep It wasn't exactly the best way to start here, she arrived late last night and today has had to put up with the full treatment, tommorrow can't be any worse for her! She's here for at least 2 weeks though so at least a good Christmas and a head free of lice is in order

Are SS aware of her condition? She should have been checked over by a paediatrician before she came to you, they should have prescribed something for the lice.

We're not official foster carers so I'm not used to how SS work/what'll happen - her mother is my cousin and although we're not at all close things have escalated very quickly recently, as she has drug and mental health problems, and I'm the only one in the family able/willing to look after the LO or she has to be officially fostered. A social worker came with my cousin to drop the LO off and it's being treated as a 'holiday' for the moment, the SW was mainly concerned with sorting the situation out properly before school starts back again, to get some stability, so she may have to go to 'proper' foster care then, not sure.

I gather LO has been referred to a shedload of people along the way but not sure what's happening there, it looks like cousin has been very clever about palming everyone involved off with excuses and downright lies at times, so I'm not sure who's supposed to be doing what. SW was supposed to ring me today and when she didn't I rang them only to find she wasn't in because of the snow , so either her or someone else will ring me tommorrow to sort it out. I'm fine with the day to day looking after herof course but as far as what's supposed to happen regarding any official process my head's spinning!

You should document her condition. The poor lass sounds neglected to me to be honest. Call the SW in the morning so that she has a record of the lice.

I really admire what you are doing for her. She has lovely family.

Have you managed to look at her scalp to check if it's weeping and sore? I once nursed a child who had infected head lice, it's really unpleasant.

I found olive oil worked very well, liberally soaked the hair, towel on, then left for a few hours.
A lot easier to comb out too.
Hope you have a fantastic Christmas and bless you for taking her on and ensuring she has a lovely time.

Ok, thanks, will do, think neglected would definitely be the right word. Judging by snippets I know and what she's mentioned today she's not been fed that well, washed often etc. She's a sweet little girl though, besides being highly strung, which seems more than natural considering. Wish I'd 'stuck my nose in' a bit more recently but cousin really wouldn't have appreciated that and might have made things worse, not sure. Because of long running family problems I don't feel in any position to help cousin but always want to drop everything for children so if LO isn't going back to her mum any time soon I hope we can foster her 'properly' - no idea if that's even a possibility though.

Yes, her scalp is full of cuts and sores, where presumably she's scratched - at the back of her neck and behind her ears are especially bad. I wasn't sure whether to use the Hedrin because of that but with the flakes of skin from the sores, the tangles in her hair etc I thought sorting it out with just combing would be even worse for her scalp. Will definitely try the olive oil tommorrow then, should help her scalp too. And thanks both of you, even if I hadn't wanted to take her I'd have just felt too guilty not to. Luckily a friend of mine was planning to go late night shopping tommorrow anyway so I've asked her to pick up a few pressies, and a few essentials - the social worker said it was impossible to find much in her house.

She needs looking over by a doctor, the SW should never have dropped her off to you in this state without being checked over. This poor, poor child. Call the GP first and get her booked in, then call the SW and ask lots of questions about why the child had been handed over to you like this.

My parents fostered my cousin for 6 months while her house was being cleaned. My mum tried to give her a bath on the first night and she was petrified. It didn't end well after she was returned.
I really do hope you manage to help her.

Thanks I will - only intended to get advice on the nits but this is very welcome! Our SS pops up in the local news periodically so although I didn't know what to expect I'm not surprised to hear they should have done more . I'll try and get an appt with the GP for asap, he's brilliant so should probably help with the SS too.

Would you consider taking her into a walk-in centre to have a GP check her over, just to document the severity of the head lice problem. So that it is documented by a third party whose word will have weight with SS. Explain to him/her why you want it documented and the child checked over. As if you have to wait days for an appt at your surgery your description of the problem may not communicate well.

It was norty of SS IMO to hand her over in that state and possibly without a medical check.

You are this child's Christmas Angel. Bless you.

Poor little love :( makes me so when children are neglected.

It needs to be a paediatrician who's experienced with the legalities around child neglect Kelly as it's not admissable in court unless it's all documented in a specific way.

Your GP should be able to point you in the right direction though. She needs her lice treating before anything else.

I agree with the people saying that the ss should not have hamded her over in this state, as in, that is not how it should be done by the book

BUT I'm glad they did, you obviously care about her and I would be more than happy to recieve a child with live if it meant that child was in a loving caring home

Yes, bless you snoozylucy, you sound lovely.

Then in that case, if you have a good camera with a macro lens, or knows someone who does, take photos of especially the neck and ear areas. This is where headlice infestation is always at its worst hence why she has scratched them raw.

poor baby.

FWIW, I grew up in the tropics and I had a friend who I played with a lot. She had a severe headlice infestation but I didn't care, I really liked her. Once when I was over at hers, her mum just poured kerosene (I think it is the same thing as heating oil in this country) left it in for 5 minutes and she washed it out. They fell out like flies. Not what I'd recommend btw, but from how you are describing it, this little girl's actually sounds worse than what I have seen.

I know there's a weekend surgery at the local minor injuries unit if needed but not sure if we have a walk-in centre locally, have never needed to use one, will find out, especially if it looks like I can't get an appt with the GP but I may be able to - had assumed as it was 'only' head lice (have never even heard of it being this severe before) I wouldn't but from what you've all said about the lack of an official 'check up' they may fit us in willingly. Don't know if the speed of the problem (her mum rang my aunt and basically said she was about to drive off and leave everything, including LO, behind) and the snow problems here are behind SS not doing what they should but will definitely chase them up tommorrow now I know they should have done more. And thankyou, really don't feel like I've done much to be honest , feel so sad for her being uprooted to someone she barely knows really just before Xmas. Already had to reassure her Santa won't leave her presents at her home where she can't get them .

I know what you are saying and agree with it Trinity but the implication of what you are saying is not what anyone is intending it to mean.

A paed should have already checked her over for her own safety. Coming from such a neglected situation this little girl could have so many other possible issues going on besides what is so blatantly obvious. It is to protect the child and her emergency carer, surely.

You've made her safe Snoozy. You've done more then you can ever realise. She'll look back at this when she's older and she'll remember the kindness that you have shown to her.