Dd2 has a really itchy head but can't see any nits/lice - any advice?

[Miaou]

Dd2 has been scratching her head like mad over the past few days. I've looked, dh has looked, and my mum (ex-teacher, plenty of experience!!!) has looked - can't see any nits or lice. But her scalp, round the edges (behind her ears), and down the back of her neck, has sore patches on it.

We haven't changed her shampoo or our washing powder recently - I am mystified. Any ideas?

has she just got a sweaty head????? SOryr but sometimes if i havent washed my hair in a couple of days my scalp gets irritated and itchy.

I wondered about that Nemo, but I washed her hair on Tuesday and it still itched, then washed it again today (after swimming) and she is still itching like crazy!!

maybe she has some exczema? Or (sorry to say it, especially as I don't know0 scabies?

Have you actually checked using a nit comb?

these creatures are good at hiding .... if you havnt already done so may be worth a double check.

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Yup, used a nit comb.

SCABIES?????

I'm off to look for some pictures on the web to compare......

Tip: do not Google scabies on Images.

Phew, it definitely isn't that.

Happy mum, her scalp isn't at all dry though.

Totally flummoxed, may have to visit GP.

Any more ideas?

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my dd gets this from time to time complains of itchy head and sore patches along the hairline behind the ears. I have been using Boot's cradle cap cream and that seemsto be helping. (another thought,you haven't changed her shampoo, bubblebath etc recently?)

She just came down to the loo and I checked her again

It's nits!!!!!

Never seen them before, that's my defence and I'm sticking to it

Poor you. My dd gets them regularly, she's such a huggy kid! They are b a s t a r d s to get rid of!!

Sorry, but I hate them.

conditioner and wet combing it is. Every few days until you find no more. Go in every directions. The little buggers can hide. Good luck!

The effective natural method that I know for dealing with this is rosemary essential oil in olive oil - added to the scalp and hair and kept in over night (put a towel on the pillow). Nits actually PREFER clean hair to dirty hair - its easier to hold onto (fewer natural oils). Use a very dialute amount of rosmary (like 2 drops to 20ml olive oil)

ps - the treatment needs to be continued for a week... get inventive on the hair styles in the day - or just revere the "wet look"!!

Well I did the treatment on Friday and dd2 and I counted 32 adult lice and countless baby ones!!! . Poor wee thing, her scalp is really itchy and sore too. I found just 6 on dd1 and none on the rest of us. The stuff I used was one you leave on overnight and wash out in the morning, and I was horrified to discover two live lice on dd2 this morning! I am going to wet comb it tomorrow and see if there are any more. Sent dh to get tea tree conditioner but he couldn't find any . Horrible things (the lice, not dh )

I really sympathise - I have done battle with the wretched things for ages. Youngest daughter had been blissfully free for years though so like you ignoted itching etc until school took me to one side... anyway I could not buy the stuff I had used before so bought some stuff called delacit from a health food shop and to my amazement they all went in no time at all. The ingredients appear to be acetic acid and tincture of larkspur. Well worth a try.

lots of the chemical treatments don't work as the lice have built up immunity...i find the combing method good but you need to follow the right methodology - the bug busting program is great

average number of lice per case is around 10, so your dd will have had hers for a while,bless her. How old is she?

my ds' hair is so fine and soft that i find the comb doesn't catch a single bloody one of them, so i have to pick them out with my fingernails - eugh.

They are tiny, dark brown things - what stage is this - is it eggs or what?

stuck to hair= eggs, tine little things= newly hatched, too small to lay eggs themselves. Don't worry if you miss some of these you'll get them the next time you wet comb in a couple of days. They are also too small to move off the head so are not a risk to others.

sounds like baby lice - lots of info here

Just to make you feel better miaow, when dd first had them she was crawling amd I had no idea I was combing out 5 or 6 with every stroke

You can bet I can spot it earlier now!

The kits from the link I posted have combs which catch all the lice. Once you have started the combing schedule with this kit you will not be able to pass on lice to anyone else - but it takes 14 days to complete the programme & 4 combing sessions.

If you are re-infected then instead of the lice becoming progressively smaller each time you comb they will be BIG again

Sympathy to you - first time my dd had them she had around 30 or so!!!

common myths abotu nits including the clean hair one