HILFE! Mums in Germany, any way to avoid getting nits in Kindergarten?

[kindersurprise]

DS best friend in Kita was sent home today as she has nits. They have not played at home a lot in the past few days, mainly outside and in the Kita.

Does anyone know a way to avoid the pest? And what works to get rid of them if we do (God forbid!) get them?

DS can cope with a very short haircut, but DD would surely protest.

You can buy a stinky red nit- avoiding shampoo made with thyme!

Do I have to go to the Apotheke for that or is it available in the Drogerie?

Great name, btw!

Is that the Rausch Willow Bark one ? We use it and no attacks yet (touch wood)

dd never once got nits in kindergarten here. Just luck I suppose. Never heard of the other dc having them there either. It doesn't seem all that prevalent a problem here really. The chemist told me that smelly shampoo might put them off but not if they're really hungry! I think all you can do is comb through once a week with (conditioner and) a nit comb to break the legs of any adults that may be in the hair as soon as possible.

Once you get nits, they recommend here InfectoPedicul which works fine. You just apply it like a shampoo and it continues to work for 3 days afterwards if you don't use shampoo in that time (just wash hair with water) killing any lice and nits there may be. You can re-use it after I think 8 or 10 days to be sure. That's the one the GP and the chemist recommended.

I used to stuff dd's hat into the sleeve of her jacket too. Rather than leave it hanging up next to all the other hats. Not sure if that makes much difference though!

Yes LIZ that'll be the one from Rausch. It doesn't smell that bad.

Yes, I meant Rausch! It seems to work and you can get plenty of matching conditioners.

Ok, I will have a trip to the chemist and stock up. Thanks for the info.

My DD is in her third year of Kita and has not yet had nits, my friend's DD only started in August and has them already. Bad luck I suppose.

One thing I did wonder, her DD has very long hair, right down her back. Do you think that makes a difference? I am wondering about getting DD's hair cut shorter.

It makes it harder to get rid of them once you've got them, but I can't see it would make one more likely to get them. We cut dd1's hair shor when she got them to save our arm power with all the combing you have to do!

My 2 dc never had nits here in germany. The good thing is, usually a child with nits is sent home and can only return to school with a letter confirming nit-free hair by a doctor. I think the rule is good, in ds's old school the nits were always in one class only, of course everyone knew who had them because they had to stay off school but rather that than let them hop about from child to child.

Yes. DS's friend was "quarantined" right away, one of the Erzieherin went into a different room with her as soon as they realised she had nits. By the time her Mum came to pick her up they had bagged up all her clothes, bedding etc.

One other child in the group has also been sent home.

yes I agree with admylin. I think the way they deal with it here is effective. My dd was at kindergarten for 4 years and never got nits there. She got them when she went to a drama workshop where some of the dc were already at school.

If your dc get nits, you have to treat them and then get a doctor to write a note that your dc is clear again (they check) before you send them back to kindergarten/school. I find parents are generally conscientious about this.

The nits aren't fussed about the length of hair, I shouldn't think. When heads are close together, they'll just move across. It's the blood they're after and they leave their nits quite close to the scalp, I think about 1 cm away so the hair would have to be very short to avoid getting them IYSWIM, a real crew cut.

Thanks to all for your replies. I have got the full nit killing kit now. I also bought the comb and Nyda L (they did not have InfectoPedicul) just in case. It would be just our luck for them to appear on Sat evening.

I will spare them the crew cut for now, might think about it for DS if he is not happy with having his hair searched and combed. DD would sit for days letting me comb her hair (not that I am considering a crew cut for her, just a bit shorter perhaps)