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Disgusting head lice again

62 replies

Robinw · 28/02/2001 20:52

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Chanelno5 · 03/11/2001 09:07

Anyone got an ASDA near them? For £2.99 you can get their own brand Headlice Repellent which is working well for us. Also, any tips how to get the nit comb through thick, long hair when wet-combing would be very appreciated.

Rhubarb · 19/11/2002 15:22

I'm working voluntary at a school and some of the kids have nits. One little girl asked me to look into her hair on Mon as she thought her head was bleeding, her hair smelt awful and was covered in what I thought was dandruff, but I've noticed that she does itch a lot, probably why it was bleeding. Now I'm concerned that I might catch nits, especially as I have long hair. It's been so long since I came into contact with nits (I was about 8) that I really don't know how I would notice them! So how do you know if you have nits? I have an itchy scalp anyway and since thinking about this girl at school, have been itching quite a lot!

SoupDragon · 19/11/2002 15:25

If you stratch your head vigourously over some paper and little creatures fall out, you've got nits Just thinking about them makes your head itch so that's not a sure fire sign!

I'm itching just thinking about it... Ugh!

Batters · 19/11/2002 15:26

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megg · 19/11/2002 19:41

We use tea tree oil - 10 drops mixed in with his normal shampoo. The pharmicist recommended it and said it is far better than any special shampoo. After reading this thread we did his hair tonight to keep the nits away - my head is still itching lol.

Joe1 · 19/11/2002 19:45

A health visitor said to me that they are now advising that parents condition childrens hair on a regular basis as the nits or eggs cant then get attached to the hair.

robinw · 19/11/2002 21:55

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missdilema · 20/11/2002 15:14

Poor little girl,what can her parents be like.

Rhubarb · 20/11/2002 22:42

Funnily enough I'm doing a course for teaching assistant, specifically for children with special needs, and one of the things we have drummed into us is never to be judgemental either towards the child or it's parents, no matter what their background is. It's very hard to do as I did wonder how the girl's parents could send her to school so grubby, but I know nothing of her background so shouldn't really make any assumptions!

I've itched my head over some paper and nothing came out but dandruff (how DO you get rid of that!), so I'll consider myself lucky for now. But probably best to get some Tea Tree shampoo in as I'm bound to get them sooner or later!

WideWebWitch · 24/11/2002 23:43

Ds has been itching his head for the past couple of days but I have looked and looked and can't see anything. Would I definitely see them? He has very dark hair. Is there any other reason he would be itching? We don't have cats or any pets so shouldn't be fleas. Should I treat him for lice anyway? Thanks to anyone who can help.

ScummyMummy · 24/11/2002 23:57

Hi WWW. I think you'd be more likely to see the eggs in dark hair so he might be ok. Will keep my fingers crossed for you!

robinw · 25/11/2002 06:32

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Ciscolady · 25/11/2002 11:27

Hello ladies! We had this problem a few months ago and a friend suggested using a natural concoction, which worked both on my daughter and me (it's much nicer smelling than the store-bought chemicals and you only have to put it in your hair for one hour, three times a week, instead of overnight; also extremely gentle). I tried this on myself and the little buggers were gone immediately. I used the horrible chemical junk on my daughter (since that was what I had on hand at the time) and she got reinfested twice after that!! I waited a few hours for a friend to buy & bring the essential oils to me (shuddering all the while at the thought of those things in my hair!!!!) Here's the mixture of essential oils:

20-25 drops rosemary*
20-25 drops eucalyptus
20-25 drops geranium
mixed into 100 ml of olive or other light oil (or you can mix half oil/half warm water).
*Don't use rosemary if you're expecting; instead use cedarwood (which is also great for dandruff)

Lean over a sink and rub through hair, all the way to the ends, and leave on for an hour. Be careful not to get it in your eyes, as with any shampoo. I wrapped some plastic wrap & a towel around our heads to keep from dripping. Wash out a couple of times at least, with shampoo. This also conditions your hair and you smell lovely, not all chemically. This recipe is for an adult head, so for a child you could probably half it, depending on hair length. I found that it made my hair slightly oily, but with another quick wash in the morning and was fine, and didn't have to miss a day of work because of that awful smell.

missdilema · 25/11/2002 16:52

Does anyone know if it's possible for them to live outside of the hair?

lou33 · 25/11/2002 16:59

They can live for 48 hours apparently when detached from our heads!

mamosa · 25/11/2002 22:04

Thank you Ciscolady,

Have written down the recipe. Spent £9.97 on the full Marks mouse today and £2.99 on a plastic bone comb. Smells much nicer than previous used concoctions, however would prefer to use the natural alternative.

bells2 · 06/02/2003 09:37

Would appreciate some guidance on head lice. Yesterday our Nanny discovered a few nits in DS’s hair and as it was the third outbreak since he been there (18 months) and the second time he has been affected, she took it upon herself to phone the Nursery School, and refusing to tell the administrator what the problem was, demanded to speak to someone in charge and in her words “lost it with them”.

She has what I think is an unhealthy obsession with hygiene (constantly sterilising toys etc etc) and is especially obsessed with nits. Last time, for literally weeks afterwards if either DS or DD put their hands near their heads she would fly into a blind panic that they had nits. It got to the point where DH and I dreaded walking through the door to hear the inevitable constant moaning about it and the “none of my children have EVER had nits blah blah blah”. Anyway all this is by the by as I know full well that I should have replaced her years ago but we haven’t done so because she looks after the children very well and they love her. In any case, although she doesn’t know it yet she will be leaving at the start of July.

As it isn’t me who has to do all the stripping of the beds, combing and shampooing etc, I am aware that she feels I am insufficiently concerned by the problem. So my question to others is, is three outbreaks at a school within 18 months particularly bad and is this something that you would get worked up about?. Of course I am upset that in my view she overstepped the mark by telephoning the school without consulting us and especially that she was so rude to them (I know this because a subsequent conversation was recorded by the answerphone). I would however just like to get an idea of whether she has a point.

SofiaAmes · 06/02/2003 10:07

bells2, 3 outbreaks in 18 mo. is totally normal. Your nanny should be careful about making your children feel bad about themselves for getting nits. It's hardly their fault when they are young children (which I assume they are). Also, IMO you are right in thinking that it was inappropriate for the nanny to call the school directly and certainly wrong for her to get mad at them about it. There is unfortunately absolutely nothing the schools can do about it. Their hands have been tied. If you want advice on getting rid of the nits try searching some of the threads as there has been lots of great advice of some of them. Good luck, I know how miserable it can be...(you'll see my nit nightmares caused by dh's evil ex when you search the threads).

PamT · 06/02/2003 10:42

Tea tree shampoo, conditioner or sprays are supposed to be very good repellents for making sure that they never get infested in the first place so might be worth a try. Unfortunately not all parents deal with nit problems straight away so a school can just have a continuous problem which means that even those who are regularly de-loused end up being reinfected time and time again. For what its worth, I never had nits as a child but my own children caught them at school and very generously shared them with me before I was 'educated'. I do regular nit combings now just to check that we don't get any unwelcome visitors.

Batters · 06/02/2003 12:47

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tigermoth · 06/02/2003 13:28

Three outbreads in 18 months sounds nothing out of the ordinary. I am very surprisd your nanny's other children have never had nits. However with her love of hygene, I am yoyr nanny is tackling the nits with great zeal and kinows all there is to know about bug busting. I would not want to be a nit against her

I don't know what to suggest re the constant moaning - just grit your teeth I guess and count those days till July. Would a small gift to her help keep things on an even keel?

tigermoth · 06/02/2003 13:29

oops - didn't preview!

bells2 · 06/02/2003 13:36

Thanks so much for the comments. It is really helpful to know that 3 oubreaks is nothing unusual in London. Tigermoth, having just given her an 8% pay rise (on top of a fat Christmas bonus) which she was "unhappy" with, I'm afraid it's all I can do prevent myself from giving her a kick up the bum at the mo rather than a present but I see where you're coming from. Batters, I spoke to the school administrator this morning whom I know quite well and is always very helpful. She said how shocked she was by her attitude so I am going to have a word tonight. I really can't stand rudeness in these sorts of circumstances.

WideWebWitch · 06/02/2003 15:25

bells2, good luck. I'm about to search the nit threads since I treated ds for nits last week but now think I've got them (from that day, before I treated him) eeek! I feel too old to have nits! That no of outbreaks doesn't sound like a lot at all. It occurred to me that it was all very well my treating ds but if only one other mother didn't treat her child the same day, many of the class would get them again the next day anyway so I might have been wasting my time. Ah well, I tried and it's a vicious old cirle all right. Don't see what the school could have done tbh, she does sound a bit over the top. Good luck with having your words about it.

Marina · 06/02/2003 19:43

Bells, should think by now nanny bum has been kicked - agree with the others that she was stepping over the line regarding contacting the nursery herself. Maybe she has been in the profession a bit too long - 18 years ago nits were not the urban scourge they are now (or rural, eh www?). I think we have been lucky with our nursery in that we've only had one outbreak in three years but it's a small establishment.
Maybe you should also ensure Miss Community Hygiene is using eco-friendly measures on your children's heads and not going mad with the malathion - sorry, that's not meant to sound alarmist, but I'm sure you get my drift.