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Original poster

NITS..........I have questions

25 replies

Nutcracker · 01/12/2004 19:47

Had to check Dd1 and Dd2's hair tonight as someone in Dd1's class has had them.
Dd1 was clear (i think) but i found a big lice on Dd2's head.

Have had another look and can't find anymore, lice or eggs. The one i found was big though so doesn't that mean that it has been there a while ??? I thought there would of been more if that was the case.

I need to treat their hair tommorow (mine to, am itching like mad now), but what shall i use.
Have only ever done this once before when Dd1 was about 2 and caught them from Dp's daughter. The stuff i used then was so strong i struggled to breath, so don't want to use that again.

Is the mousse any good ???

OP posts:

popsycal · 01/12/2004 19:48

i just used conditioner - caught them v early - they went in a day.....

cardigan · 01/12/2004 19:50

Once I found a huge nit on dd - nothing else after a comb through with a metallic nit comb. I used thick conditioner and combed & combed every hair checking. I now comb through everyday as many parents at dds school don't care!!

hmb · 01/12/2004 19:52

They only leave a head when they are almost fully grown, so it would be big when it arrived. Once they are that big they will start to lay eggs! I don't use the insecticides. I'm not an organic, hig a tree kind of a gal but even I draw the line at using them on my kids heads!

Wet combing with lots of conditioner will do the job, and the insecticides don't kill the eggs anyway. HTH and happy nit picking!

Original poster

nutcracker · 01/12/2004 19:53

Hmmm o.k well i'll try that then. After i found it i smothered her head in conditioner and combed it through, and definatly no more lice, but am never sure what the eggs look like.

Hopefully it was one that had jumped on her head today.

OP posts:

popsycal · 01/12/2004 19:54

nutty - i think when ds had them they had JUSt arrived like your dd and they went after 1 or 2 conditioner applications.....
the eggs are little black dots on the scalp

pootlepodinapeartree · 01/12/2004 19:55

I found this site very useful

nits\link{http://www.chc.org/bugbusting/}

It recommends not using any lotion but the conditioner method and the kit tells you when/how often to comb and explains their life cycle with regards to nit size etc. They were quite fast getting one out to me, although won't be here for tomorrw. Maybe useful for the future?

hmb · 01/12/2004 19:55

Not on the scalp, on the hairs near to the scalp. They are whiteish once they hatch.

popsycal · 01/12/2004 19:56

ooops - listen to hmb....not me

hmb · 01/12/2004 19:57

had 'em too often

ChristmasCracker · 01/12/2004 20:09

Thanks all, thought it was too good to be true that we hadn't had them yet.

Will take a look at that site, cheers

surfermum · 01/12/2004 21:09

Conditioner and combing definitely worked for me and dd when we catch them off dsd. The most we've ever had each is about a dozen. You need to comb the opposite way to normal. I did it daily for a fortnight just to make sure no eggs had been laid and hatched.

I use the lotions on dsd (doesn't live with us) not because of double standards, but they build up really badly in her hair and I have to comb literally hundreds out. Can anyone tell me if this is normal?

tinselwinselspiderclimbedupthe · 01/12/2004 21:38

you and me both then surfermum. I hated having to use lotions on dss but he got them so frequently and so many too. Dp usees the lotions too as he has dreads but luckily only rarely got them. DD is a bit young to get them but I know Ill be checking her hair every week (at least) when she starts school after all the fun and games we have with dss. I still do my hair once a week. Feeling itchy now shudder

FrostyTheSurfMum · 01/12/2004 21:45

My dh is completely bald so he gets off scotfree!

DD is only 18m but gets them off her step-sister when she visits, so it might be worth checking yours if you aren't.

(aka surfermum)

tinselwinselspiderclimbedupthe · 01/12/2004 22:09

Aint your Dh lucky!!! Dp is threatening to cut off his dreads as hes "too old" for them now (42) but he doesnt know what else to do with his hair. I do have a quick look at dds hair buts she only 10 mnths and her hair is really fine and thankfully shes not had any. Luckily dss is 13 now so they are becoming less frequent...less head contact I think.

FrostyTheSurfMum · 01/12/2004 22:27

I think head contact is the culprit everytime. Dd and dsd are so close and cuddle all the time. It's lovely but I always think "oh no the nits"!

tinselwinselspiderclimbedupthe · 01/12/2004 22:32

and then its out with the super huge bottle of cheapy value conditioner and the comb. Think Ive done better on the age gap than you surfermum where nits are concerned . I also add teetree oil to the conditioner as Ive been told it kills the lice. Not sure how good it is but hey its worth a shot.

kkgirl · 22/02/2005 20:26

My dd has been stratching the back of her head for a few hairs. I washed her hair the other night and conditioned it, but found nothing.
Tonight I washed it again, and found about 15 brownie/black things like tiny flys. I didn't find any in her dry hair, but found the clear egg cases about half an inch down from her scalp.

Is this nits?

happymerryberries · 22/02/2005 20:28

Oh yes!

And how you will learn to loath the little bastards.....having just spent half term shifting them from dd again

roisin · 22/02/2005 20:28

Yes

thedogmother · 22/02/2005 20:31

Took ds2 to barber lady today and she thought he might have them, but wasn't sure. He does have a bit of a flaky scalp though, he does suffer a bit from eczema, and there was one black spot on his scalp, but really no other sign apart from that. Anyone use tea-tree?

thedogmother · 22/02/2005 20:32

oops. Should read posts.

kkgirl · 22/02/2005 20:36

Oh no, now my heads itching like mad. How big do they get before they leave?

thedogmother · 22/02/2005 20:38

Try to catch them before it gets to that stage!

happymerryberries · 22/02/2005 20:41

IIRC they go through 4 stages of growth, at the end of each stage they shed their hard exoskeleton, so you get four distinct sizes. They don't leave the head intil they are fully grown, about as long (but thinner) as a match head.

happymerryberries · 22/02/2005 20:43

Tea tree will not kill them. It may help to deter new ones arriving, but is not 100% and I speek from very bitter experience, dd having had them 4 fipping times. You have to wet comb every 2-3 days to get rid of them and it takes 2 weeks. But if you do a good job all the ones you get will be too small to leave the head so the child can't pass them on

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