Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Head Lice virgin needs helllllllp!!!!

48 replies

Tessiebear · 28/05/2004 11:58

Discovered nits in my DS1 yesterday. Went to boots got the mousse etc. I combed through this morning and didnt find any nits but picked out a few eggs clinging to the hairs - are they dead or waiting to hatch as i used treatment yesterday???? Do i have to keep him off school till all clear??? What is considered all clear??? Checked DS2 definately no nits. Do i still treat him??? Have treated myself. Help

OP posts:

willow2 · 29/06/2004 16:53

COME ON CHAPESSES - SKIN IS CRAWLING!

hmb · 29/06/2004 16:55

Sorry! They do. The nits (eggs stuck to the hair shaft) go crack! Look on your childs head for whitish ovels stuck to the hair towards the root.

prettycandles · 29/06/2004 17:12

I'm using some stuff recommended on another thread: Bioforce NeemCare Riddance shampoo to treat the infestation, and Maristow BizNiz conditioner for the combing. They seem to have got rid of everything on ds, but we're still combing every other day. I think I spotted the beasties early (touchwood), because I haven't actually seen any nits (touchwood again! ).

I've also put some Teatree oil in all our shampoos and conditioners, including the children's No More Tears baby stuff, and so far none of us have picked it up from ds (touching more wood! ).

Crystaltips · 29/06/2004 17:17

Just about to pop out - so I have not been able to read all the threads.
My DD had lice about 10 days ago. She has had a number of bouts and this time was the most successful in dealing with the little blighters.

Loads of conditioner and the nit comb every other day for about 10 days. She's now nit free and a happier little girl.

willow2 · 30/06/2004 01:57

Well, have wet combed him and can find nothing - could be early days though so will do it every few days for the next fortnight to be safe.

hmb - thought that they had a slightly hard shell?This bug disintegrated like a green fly would if you simply rubbed your fingers together - not that I torture greenfly like that (I just spray them with cyanide).

rosies · 30/06/2004 02:13

do be careful adding essential oils to products already containing perfumes etc... the oils and chemicals can cause a reaction.

best to add oils to non perfume products, like simply or neutragena, maybe.

best wishes
rosie

prettycandles · 30/06/2004 17:19

Thanks, rosies. I was wondering about the safety but felt it worth the risk. I'll check what we're using.

roisin · 30/06/2004 21:16

Urrggghhhhh! Just cut ds1's hair, and he is crawling. Yuck! Have combed out loads and loads of the little blighters. I feel really bad as I'd stopped being vigilant - he's nearly 7 and has never had them before. I'd come to the conclusion that he wasn't really sufficiently sociable to get them iyswim. Ds2's had them before, but we've caught them early. This is a real infestation .. gross! Put me off my tea.

curlysue · 01/07/2004 02:20

I agree with Walnuttree the best nit comb around is the nitty gritty one. My dd has thick hair and was well and truly infested before I noticed .

Tried chemicals twice and aromatherpay oils twice but nothing worked but combing every two or three days with loads of conditioner slapped on. It took a month to get rid of them so couldn't possibly keep her off school til all clear!

I now comb every week but she's still had two more infestations. I hate the things! It is such a trauma for us all! Luckily neither I or other dd have caught them.......yet!

But the nitty gritty comb does get the eggs out - the only one that really does as far as I know.

rosies · 01/07/2004 02:54

i think i must have been really lucky. my 2 (who are 17 and nearly 15!) never had nits or lice .

i have always wondered if its to do with what type of hair kids have. mine both have fair, quite thick (as in shafts) and lots of it. i wondered if the thickness stops the lice and eggs latching on. do they prefer finer hair? and maybe darker hair?

curlysue · 01/07/2004 11:43

I thought maybe they didn't like my daughter's hair because it was thick as we survived all reception year with none but then this year has been a nightmare but I'm amazed I haven't caught them. I have curly hair and use leave in condioners - maybe they don't like them.

Just think yourself VERY lucky rosies!

willow2 · 01/07/2004 18:49

Could someone please answer my "how easy are they to squidge" question?

roisin · 01/07/2004 19:00

Willow2 - I agree with hmb, they squidge very easily, just like greenfly. Certainly no "crunch".

hmb · 01/07/2004 19:05

When the nits have a developing larvae in them, they go 'crack' but not the adult lice, in my experience.

The real give away will be if yu can see the white, harched egg sacs on the hair shafts. Once you see them you know you have an infestation. And once you have seen them they are very obvious

willow2 · 01/07/2004 21:08

No sign of any eggs - but will keep checking. I know what they look like - remember from when I found them in brother's hair. We were staying the weekend with my dad and his mother and had taken us to some posh hotel. For some reason I was washing my brother's hair, found nits and so went to find my father and grandmother. They were having afternoon tea. I ruined the moment by yelling across the room, "Dad, he's got nits".

Noisy · 05/07/2004 01:34

Hello,
Does anyone have one of those electronic combs? Are they any good? and where can I get one of the 'nitty gritty' combs from please?? Major ourbreak at DS's nursery and DH found one on him yesterday - I have really long (bottom length)VERY thick hair and am terrified! Figure I'd better be prepared...

curlysue · 05/07/2004 19:10

You can get the Nitty Gritty comb from www.nittygritty.co.uk, tel 020 7460 0166. They were £9.99 when I got mine.

Piffleoffagus · 05/07/2004 19:19

the only thing that has worked for us is combing in the shower 2-3 times a week when the epidemic hits. All of us do it as a matter of course now, we also get my ds's hair cut really short, this helps loads.
I have had no luck with any of the lotions even homeopathic ones, they are immune to everything around here!
It's best to alert the school, they stick a note in everyones bag so everyone checks their kids and then they do not reinfest for ages!

rosies · 05/07/2004 20:02

hmmm but watching wife swap last night (not really wanting to admit to that), when you have parents ignoring an infestation problem, as this family did, it just keeps going.

i didnt realise people like that existed!

roisin · 05/07/2004 20:30

We let ds1's teacher know on Monday that we'd found headlice. On Monday afternoon he came out of school and announced to me in a very loud voice:

"Mrs X gave me a headlice letter, but I gave it back to her and told her that it's ME WHO'S GOT HEADLICE so I didn't need a letter!"

Everyone within 50 yards heard every word, and they were all falling about laughing

Noisy · 09/07/2004 19:28

Heeey,
Just in the nit of time! Sorry!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone who has posted stuff on this link. It helped me decide what to get 'just in case' and I sent off for one of those 'Bug Buster kits' - it's brilliant!!!!

I nearly died when I did my DS and found baby lice - DH and myself have come up clean. That kit was a real life saver - really, really great!
Cheers

prettycandles · 10/07/2004 17:28

I'm quite annoyed with the creche that my two go to! When I told ds's nursery that he had headlice, their response was to check that I knew what to do and to check the other children. When I told the creche their response was to say that ds couldn't come for at least a week after he was clear, and that they might not let dd come either! So, great, the alert and responsible mum who notices the infestation and makes sure the creche knows so that it can be prevented from spreading gets penalised, whereas another mum who doesn't notice (or isn't bothered!) just gets away with it.

roisin · 10/07/2004 17:38

That's outrageous prettycandles. It's a very stupid policy on their part.

Flip

1 2