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Original poster

Is anyone else driven mad by headlice?

22 replies

marialou · 23/03/2006 20:21

My 5 year old is constntly getting headlice. I have to check her hair every day as soon as I get in from school. If I find something and get rid of it the next day she'll come home with them again.

The school say all they can do is send out letters asking parents to check kids hair.

It's not working and it's driving me nuts!!

OP posts:
FioFio · 23/03/2006 20:22

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Blandmum · 23/03/2006 20:24

Wet combing is the only realiable thing to do since they are befcoming more and more resistant to insecticdes.

Wash hair , slather in conditioner and comb out every 2-3 days for two weeks.

PITA but it works.

FioFio · 23/03/2006 20:26

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Original poster
marialou · 23/03/2006 20:26

Never tried full marks. Haven't heard good things about it. When she gets them bad I have used Lyclear but have found if I check hair every night after school I can catch them before they breed.
Just doesn't seem fair that someone else obviously isn't checking their childs hair, and my dd seems to come home with 1 in her hair nearly every day.

OP posts:
FioFio · 23/03/2006 20:28

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Original poster
marialou · 23/03/2006 20:28

Apparently the government say schools can't check kids hair or even tell the parents of a child if they know they've got them.

May be I should write to my MP??

OP posts:
nikkie · 23/03/2006 20:31

We have them more or less constantly as dd1 inparticular keeps getting them and with very long curly hair combing takes a long time.Angry

We had a long standing problem at my school and the head could suspend the child BUT didn't want to and got the school nurse to contact the parents and we now have permssion to treat her at school if it happens again (SN)

jmum6 · 23/03/2006 20:33

Had this problem every single year in every class i've ever taught. The whole school would have to be treated at the same time for it to be irradicated - and thats so not going to happen.
I've often pointed out headlice to parents - in a gentle fashion, as well as the letters which go out every single time it's been noticed, and there are always parents who never bother to do anything - drives the other, responsible parents and school staff mad.

Have lost count of the number of times I've caught lice off the children - ick!!!!!! Shock

nit comb, conditioner and then tea tree oil in final rinse - and get the girls to wear their hair up.

Surfermum · 23/03/2006 20:36

Oh yes! I combed over 100 out of my dsd's hair at the weekend Sad. She's had them more or less constantly for 6 years. It's been a huge bone of contention between dh and his x.

Original poster
marialou · 23/03/2006 20:37

I had a moan at the teacher today and mentioned that some of the girls in the class have their hair hanging down (one girl in particular has waistlenghth hair always down and always seems to be scratching her head). Teacher said she can't even tell parents to put girls hair up.

OP posts:
Surfermum · 23/03/2006 20:39

There was a noticeable difference in the number of lice dsd had when she when to a school where they had to tie their hair up.

jmum6 · 23/03/2006 20:44

Honestly try tea tree oil - the lice don't like the smell and stay away!

expatinscotland · 23/03/2006 20:46

i'm SO looking forward to sending my kid to school. wtf? they can't tell the parents?! what kind of a parent just can't be arsed to treat something so vile? that's neglectful, IMO. poor kid!

Original poster
marialou · 23/03/2006 20:48

I used tea tree oil and conditioner on her hair but it doesn't make any difference. The chemist said use hairspray as they don't like that either but none of it is working.

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 23/03/2006 20:49

try the stuff from neal's yard, maria.

Pixel · 23/03/2006 21:36

I've just been sitting here having a combing session on dd's hair as she came home with headlice at the weekend. She doesn't get them very often thank goodness, maybe because I always send her to school with her hair plaited.

I'm a bit miffed because I went in and made the effort to inform her teacher so that the school could send home one of their standard "a child in your son/daughter's class has headlice etc" letters. It's been nearly a week and no letter so dd will probably get re-infected.

We tried full-marks and weren't impressed. It didn't work particularly well and all the dire warnings on the packet about not using it too often were scary. We've also used teatree shampoo etc, but the most effective has been Boots cheapo 'Children's headlice removal kit', £4.99. Seems to work every time for us.

notasheep · 23/03/2006 22:07

dd 6yrs old has been clear for about 3 weeks yippee! but then last night i found 3 massive black creepy crawlies-the donor always seems to be anonymous!!!

conditioner,comb,repeat,repeat..............

wont use insecticides on dds scalp

spidermama · 23/03/2006 22:10

Agree the potions don't work. Comb and comb and comb with the nittygritty. Stop blaming others because you don't know what other parents are doing and what their regimes are. Also there's no point unless you're actually going to say something to the parent in question. So best just let go of that particular stress.

swedishmum · 23/03/2006 22:13

One of the few things I like about the small village school is that they say it how it is - head lice, hair up, herbal advice. Can't see anyone complaining.

abacus · 23/03/2006 22:14

Buy a nitty gritty comb ( I think the website is nittygritty.co.uk, but I've recently seen one in Lloyds chemists) They are a bit more money than the usual combs, and are made of metal, but the teeth are wider, closer together and they have grooves in so that they remove the eggs. I bought one about 5yrs ago when my dd got headlice and I got it and trying to get a small comb through our long hair was a nightmare - I have never looked back, but I still do the once a week comb through with condition, but we've not had an infestation since purchase. Good luck Smile

abacus · 23/03/2006 22:14

Buy a nitty gritty comb ( I think the website is nittygritty.co.uk, but I've recently seen one in Lloyds chemists) They are a bit more money than the usual combs, and are made of metal, but the teeth are wider, closer together and they have grooves in so that they remove the eggs. I bought one about 5yrs ago when my dd got headlice and I got it and trying to get a small comb through our long hair was a nightmare - I have never looked back, but I still do the once a week comb through with condition, but we've not had an infestation since purchase. Good luck Smile

Surfermum · 23/03/2006 22:39

Yes, nitty gritty combs are really fab. You can get them on prescription.

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